Concealed Realisations
by Anytha84
Summary: His sister grinned and Leo felt a little weary."What did you do?" "I said that you and Jemma are dating."Leo stared at her and then looked at Jemma who looked just as flabbergasted as he was. It was meant to be a charade until his sister's wedding but Jemma and Leo find themselves struggling with new feelings that start to confuse them. Prompt #31-Sacred. Headcanon series.
1. Chapter 1

**-HEAD CANON SERIES-**

I was working on Chapter 2 of the Missing Key when StarryDreamer01 made me realise that I was skipping and barely outlining a series of moments in the story line. I've got this head canon universe so detailed in my head that I somehow take for granted that everyone knows what I'm talking about...

...which is clearly untrue.

So, this story had to be written and done before that chapter.

I'm sorry for the delay in Missing Key and Temptation but I'm really busy at work and I'm taking my time writing everything. Hope you guys like this story in the meantime... :)

This is set after Please don't say you love me and before 20 years in Tis the Season to be Jolly.

The Prompt was #31-Sacred

Thanks to my Beta StarryDreamer01 who helped me edit this.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AGENTS OF SHIELD.

* * *

"_What?_ You didn't get the invitation?!"

"No."

"Oh, no!"

Leo was sitting with his legs crossed on the sofa with his laptop balanced on his thighs as he skyped with Alison.

"Really, sis," he said. "If you don't want me at the wedding, just say it."

"What?" His sister's face was clear enough on screen to show him how bewildered she looked. "Don't even think that, you prat. God, if you didn't receive the invitation, maybe there was some problem at the post office and someone else didn't get it either."

Leo cleared his throat, in an attempt to stop the rumble of laughter bubbling inside him. His sister was so tense about her wedding: she needed to loosen up a bit.

"Oh, I'm going to kill Alec!"

"What did I do now?" A male voice in the background asked with resignation. Leo grinned as his almost -brother-in-law appeared behind his sister.

"The invitations!" Alison exclaimed, turning in her chair to point an accusatory finger at him. "It was your job to send them."

"And I sent them."

"Well, Leo and Jemma didn't get theirs."

Alec peered at Alison's computer screen.

"Hey, Leo," he greeted with a wave. "So, you didn't get your invitation, huh?"

Leo nodded, keeping his face as blank as possible. Alec stared at him before shrugging.

"Well, there might have been a problem with the international post," he remarked. "Everyone else replied and told us that they'd be here for the wedding."

"How can you be so sure?" Alison asked. "What if we forgot someone?"

"Really, Ali? We got answers from all the people we invited!"

"What if we've forgotten someone?"

Leo failed to curb the twitching of his lips as he watched his sister pull out a notebook and showing something to Alec who rolled his eyes at her.

"What's going on?"

Leo turned around and saw Jemma walking out of the bathroom, rubbing her hair dry with a towel. He grinned at her puzzled expression.

"Nothing," he replied. "Ali's losing it, Alec's calming her down: the usual things."

Jemma arched a brow at him and leaned on the sofa with her elbows as she looked at the screen over his shoulder.

Leo was suddenly enveloped by the heady scent of lavender of Jemma's shampoo and soap. Without realising it, he took a long deep breath.

He liked that scent...

"Hey, Jemma," Alison greeted, noticing her. Jemma waved with a smile. "How are you?"

Jemma moved closer and Leo felt the cool dampness of her hair next to his ear, causing a shiver run down his spine.

"I'm fine, thanks, Alison," she replied. "How are you? How are the final preparations going?"

"I'm going insane," his sister remarked with a sigh.

"_I'm_ going insane!" Alec shouted from somewhere in the room, making both Leo and Jemma laugh.

"Figures..." Ali muttered. "By the way, sorry for the invitation mishap, Jemma. Leo was telling me: I'll give you one as soon as you get here."

"What are you talking about?" Jemma turned to him in confusion. Leo shrugged and put up his most innocent face. She narrowed her eyes. "Alison, I don't know what he told you but we both got the invitations a few weeks ago. Oh, and my parents too! Mum said that she'd call you."

"What..?" Alison glared at the screen and pointed at her brother. "You little..."

Leo laughed.

"You were too tense, sis," he remarked. "You need to loosen up a bit."

"Oh sure... And giving me a heart failure four days before the wedding would help me _loads_."

Leo snorted and then ducked as he saw Jemma swatting his head with her hand. She walked around the sofa and sat down next to him, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're impossible," she remarked, bumping their shoulders together. Leo grinned at her.

"God, I was already thinking that I'd have to call everyone," Alison huffed and then looked at them through the camera. "Anyway, Jemma, your parents called me a few days ago and confirmed me that they'll come. I obviously invited your grandmother as well but she's off to France to visit your relatives.."

"Yeah, Gran's off to Lyon to see my Aunt and her family: she always goes there in May," Jemma said. "She should be back next month."

"Alright...And when are you two coming over?"

"Friday afternoon," Leo said. "We can't get there any sooner, not with my ongoing project at TechData and her dissertation next week." He was caught in a project that would conclude his Masters while Jemma was going to discuss the dissertation for her second PhD.

"They're not giving you a hard time, are they?" Alison sounded worried. "I mean, coming here for the weekend won't mess up your schedules."

"No, not at all!" Jemma remarked. "I talked with the commission already: I'll hand over my papers and documentation Friday morning and present my dissertation next week, probably on Wednesday."

"And I've done my share of work in building the circuitry and mainframe," Leo said. "I promised to be back by Tuesday morning: I couldn't ask for more time off."

"Good..." Ali smiled. "It will be nice to have you kids here for a few days. And the bachelor and bachelorette night is on Friday: you can't miss that."

"Seriously?" Leo arched a brow. "I thought you'd be done with that already."

"No, Alec wanted you to be here," Alison's hand gestured vaguely to some point outside the room. "He said that he wanted all of his brothers for that night."

Leo blinked and swallowed dryly, a small lump of emotion choking his throat.

"Oh... alright," he said slowly. He felt Jemma's hand brush against his and he glanced up as she smiled softly.

Of course she would know... He smiled back.

"And I wanted Jemma to come with us girls," Alison continued, smiling a bit too knowingly for Leo's tastes.

"Really?" Jemma asked in surprise. "I-I thought that was for family and friends..."

"Exactly... So _why_ are you surprised again?" Leo's grin mirrored his sister's and he felt a little bubble of warmth as Jemma blushed and thanked Ali for the invitation as she ran her fingers through her almost dry hair.

"Oh..." Alison looked bashful. "There's a little thing you should know before you arrive."

Leo and Jemma shared a glance before turning to the screen.

"What?" They asked.

"Leo, do you remember Shona Taylor, my old school friend?"

Frowning slightly, Leo went through his memories trying to give a face to the name.

"Er- do you mean the redhead with the loud voice and way too much make-up?" He asked, remembering his sister's friends when they would come at home, every now and then, when he was younger. He usually ran to hide in his room when they came home.

Alison snorted.

"Yeah...that's Shona. Well, she broke up with her boyfriend and...is on the prowl."

Leo tensed.

"And that concerns me because...?" He heard Jemma giggle softly next to him and was tempted to hit her with a cushion.

"She's one of my bridesmaids and was here a few days ago for the dress fitting." Their Mum had taken it upon herself to make Alison's dress and Alec's suit, the dresses for the bridesmaids and the suits for Leo and Bryce. "And she saw your graduation picture."

"My graduation picture?" Leo asked in confusion and turned to Jemma. "Did you send her a copy?"

"Yeah, she did," Alison replied and frowned. "Jemma was thoughtful enough to send us a photo since you're _still_ a prat..."

Leo winced sensing the little hint of anger in his sister's tone. She still hadn't forgiven him for lying about his school graduation and for not allowing his family to celebrate him.

"Anyway, Shona saw your picture and made comments."

"Comments?"

"Appreciative comments," Alison ran a hand across her face as he stared at her, dumbly. "Really, Leo? You're a genius and you don't get _that_?!"

Jemma giggled again and he stared at her before his quick brain did the maths and he blushed. What...?

"Oh... but she's old-" Jemma's elbow hit him in the lower ribs and all air escaped him. Angering his sister telling that someone her age was old wasn't really going to help him.

"-_er_. Older than me," he quickly wheezed out.

Thankfully, Alison snorted in amusement.

"Nice save, Leo," she said. "And yes, she's older than you. And I know her and there's _no way_ she's getting close to you. God knows that I don't want that mental image in my head..."

Leo stared at the screen with his mouth hanging open while he felt Jemma tremble in mirth next to him. He turned and shot her a dark look but she grinned, completely unfazed.

"So...what exactly am I meant to do?" He asked his sister, annoyance lacing his words. "Hide whenever I see her?"

"No...I took the matter in my hands," Alison replied, grinning slightly. Leo felt a little weary.

"What did you do?"

"I told her that you and Jemma are dating."

Leo stared at her and then looked at Jemma who looked just a flabbergasted as he did. And when she turned to him, pink in face, he felt a blush warm his cheeks too.

He was going to kill Alison...

-:-

Jemma rose from the sofa and tossed the towel into the hamper in the bathroom. She absent-mindedly ran her fingers through her drying hair, searching for any wayward knot.

She watched as Leo put his laptop away on the couch and got up, running a hand across his face.

The tip of his ears were still red. She smiled.

"It will only be for three days," she remarked, approaching him.

"She shouldn't have said that without asking us," he grumbled and she grinned.

"It was that or you being harassed by a twenty five year old woman who has fallen for your deadly looks," she teased, bumping their shoulders together.

Leo snorted and looked at her.

"And you're fine with pretending that you're my girlfriend?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

Jemma had tried to ignore the little flare of warmth that had sparked in her when Alison had said that. Or the tingles dancing down her spine when she thought about being closer to him in the three days they'd spend in Scotland.

Honestly, she didn't mind because this was Leo, the same boy with whom she had lived together for the five years.

"I'll try to keep my hands off you most of the time, promise," she said cheekily and he laughed. "Seriously though... People mistake us for a couple on a common basis: our families tease us about it. We'll just have to behave as usual...and I might hug you every now and then..."

Leo looked at her, blue eyes soft and clear. Her heart did a funny jiggle in her chest.

"Right then..." he replied and smiled. He stretched his arms over his head and checked the time: it was only four o'clock. "You've got plans for the day?"

Jemma shook her head. Her thesis was mostly finished: she just needed to add the final edits to the bibliography and go through a few simulations again in the lab but she didn't want to think about it on Sunday.

"You?" She asked, tilting her head to a side. "Got any reports from work to do?"

His Masters at TechData was an apprenticeship. He earned a minimum wage and was out from morning to evening, working on computers and machines.

Leo liked the hands-on activity after the more theoretical take of his PhD and while Jemma missed having him around campus, she liked receiving his enthusiastic emails and texts from work.

And he had invented some devices, little prototypes and machines that were going to be used in TechData's engineering machines. Jemma still remembered his joyous smile when he told her that his devices -his _own _works- were going to get a patent and he'd receive monthly incomes from them.

Their studies were finally paying off...literally. Leo had always wanted to work and send his own money home to his mother: he was waiting for the first checks before telling her. But he did manage to get her a present. A big one.

And Jemma had been asked to do some paid research work too. One of her older professors had asked her to assist in an experimental biomedical project that he was working on; she had asked to wait until she was done with her PhD.

They were both thinking about speaking to MIT's Administration Board about their accommodation. Jemma's doctorate scholarship ended in July just like Leo's technical Masters contract with TechData.

They were willing to ask for another year there, doing researches or lab work. They were some of MIT's youngest and most brilliant students: they really didn't think that the Board would object to their stay.

Once they were legal in America, they could leave and maybe get a house together.

They could start their life outside of Uni...

"No," Leo replied. "I've done everything yesterday since I wanted a free day home. God knows when I'll get another one..."

She smiled at him.

"Fancy a walk?" She asked, looking out of the window. It was a wonderful sunny day.

"Sure," he said as he smiled back.

Half an hour later, they were walking outside campus and into the busy streets of Cambridge, her arm looped around his, as they chatted about everything as usual.

-:-

The first thing she saw when they walked into Glasgow's Airport was Alec's broad smile. She felt a smile tug on her own face too and Leo grinned as they walked towards him.

"Hey, little girl," the dark haired man said, enveloping Jemma in a hug.

Jemma had always been short, smaller than average even now that she was nineteen. Alec had fashioned this nickname for her from the moment he met her at Leo's house during Christmas years ago.

"Good to see you, Alec," she replied. At the beginning, she had thought the older Scot was teasing her (old school memories taunted her again) but then she saw the gentle and brotherly way he treated her and she became quite fond of the nickname.

"Leo, I should bash your head for being a git and making Ali go mental over invitations," Alec growled, hugging the shorter boy. "But... you did make her cool down a bit, so..."

"How are you feeling?" Leo asked him.

"Fine," Alec's green eyes shone with happiness. "I'll probably start freaking out on Sunday morning...but I'm holding on quite well now."

Leo grinned at him again and then picked up Jemma's small trolley, putting it on top on his own before rolling them both as they walked to Alec's car.

"_Leo_," she protested. "I'm perfectly capable of-"

"I know but I'm doing it anyway," he replied with a crooked grin that made her stomach flutter. She huffed and followed him, clutching her handbag.

Alec shot a knowing glance at them.

"And Ali said that you had to _pretend_ to be together..." He asked. "Seriously?"

Jemma ignored his comment.

They were at the Fitz's house barely an hour later. Jemma was greeted by a radiant Alison and a smiling Mrs. Fitz. She couldn't help but smile fondly as Leo hugged his mother and his sister.

He was letting himself go now: he was showing his emotions and not keeping them inside himself, thinking that he didn't deserve his family's affection.

She felt a little pang of envy when she watched Alison tease Leo. She had always longed for siblings but unfortunately, her mother hadn't been able to have any children after her.

Somehow, meeting Leo had given her a best friend, a person that could understand her thoroughly and brought her Alison and Alec who had become the closest thing to a sister and brother.

"You're alright there, dear?"

Jemma looked to her side and smiled at Leo's mother as she approached her in the living room.

"Yes, Mrs. Fitz," she replied. "I was just thinking..."

"I've noticed that you were lost in your thoughts...and Jemma dear, it's Lena. You've known me long enough to stop calling me Mrs. Fitz."

Jemma blushed and nodded.

"Thank you for sending us the graduation pictures," Lena said, smiling warmly. "We never got a chance to celebrate Leo's school graduation nor take a picture."

"It was my pleasure, really..." Jemma replied and looked at the mantelpiece where the Fitzes family photos were arranged.

She took in the various frames with Alison, Bryce and Leo at different ages and the family pictures throughout the years with the older ones where Leo's father smiled at her. She saw Leo in his graduation gear, grinning at the camera as he held his diploma (she clearly remembered taking the picture after he took her own snapshot and making ridiculous jokes to get him to smile like that) and was surprised to see her own face smiling at her from a frame.

Jemma walked closer to the end of the mantlepiece. There was a sweet picture of Alison and Alec together, smiling at each other, then a group photo taken during last Christmas where the Fitzes and Simmons' were all sitting together in this very living room and then...

Her heart thumped oddly against her ribcage when she took in the picture of her and Leo, sitting close together on the couch, talking and grinning at each other, completely oblivious to the the camera. The fireplace's glowing light gave the picture a softer look and Jemma started to notice all the details: her head tilted to a side as she smiled at him, Leo's hand on her shoulder, his blue eyes fixed on her and that crooked grin on his face.

It was them. A picture of their normalcy and yet it seemed so intimate that Jemma felt her heart beat loudly in her chest.

"I like that one, too," Alison remarked, making Jemma turn to her side. "The two of you look really cute."

"Ah...-er..thanks," she stammered, feeling warmth flood her face. She turned around to see where Leo was and saw him speaking to his mother. Gladly, he wouldn't see her being ridiculously flustered by a picture...

He was animatedly moving his hands and Lena was beaming at him.

"What are they talking about?" she asked, seeing Leo act like when he has to describe some engineering theory or machine.

"The chair," Alison replied, failing to hide the pride in her voice and approaching her mother.

Jemma smiled.

TechData also worked with medical facilities and Leo had helped develop the internal computer system and data archive of a large medical supply structure. He did the work in less than a week.

As a payment, besides offering him a job once he was done with the master as their system technician, the director had offered him a large discount on the purchase of any medical supply. Leo had seen a motorized wheelchair, complete with remote control and a phone for emergencies and had promptly asked for that. With the discount and a considerable share of his savings, he purchased it and sent it home last month. His mother had called in tears and Jemma had smiled proudly as Leo comforted her saying that it was nothing and that she deserved his gift.

And now she saw how both his mother and sister were very proud of him too.

"I'll set it up for you, Mum," Leo said. "Then you can try it a bit."

Lena smiled and shook her head.

"Not now, darling," she remarked. "You've just come home and I'm sure you're tired. Go rest a bit and then get down for dinner." She turned to Jemma. "Both of you."

Leo glanced at Jemma and she shrugged slightly, smiling.

"And you've both got a long night ahead... So I think the chair can wait until tomorrow."

Jemma had almost forgotten it.

The Hen and Stag Night.

Leo approached her.

"It's going to be a _long_ night," he whispered and looked at her. "You alright?"

"Yeah..." She looked at him in surprise. "Why?"

"You looked pensive a while ago."

Trust him to notice _that_ while he was busy talking...

"It was nothing..." she said with a smile. "Just thinking about random things."

He smiled back.

As he took their trolleys upstairs to his room, depositing them by their beds, now so close that it almost seemed one, Jemma wondered if she was just over thinking because of their planned charade.

Nothing was different between them.

-:-

They didn't rest after all...

By the time he and Jemma had showered and changed into more comfortable clothes, his mum was already getting dinner ready.

They both went down to help but were ushered into the living room by Alison and so they ended up watching a Dr. Who re-run. They were half way through the episode when Jemma's parents called and he lowered the tv's audio so that she could speak clearly.

His eyes wandered off to look around the room: the house had been cleaned from top to bottom since the wedding reception was going to take place in their backyard.

He eyed the line of pictures on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. His mum had framed all their family pictures there: it was a collection of them throughout the years.

He then noticed the new additions on the line of photos: he saw his graduation picture (and he was smiling, but it all Jemma's fault: she was being so silly...), the group photo taken at Christmas and then...

He blinked and stood up.

It was he and Jemma. He didn't even know when the picture had been taken but, judging by their clothes, it had to be during the last Christmas vacation.

He would never admit it out loud because it would be odd for him as much as for Jemma but... they _did_ look like a couple. He glanced at his best friend sitting on the couch, smiling at something that her mother must have said her on the phone.

Leo felt something twinge softly inside him. Another thing that he would never tell her was that he had a soft spot for that smile.

For all of her smiles.

Feeling a sudden rush of warmth, Leo turned around and tried to clear his mind.

_What_ the _hell_ was he thinking?

He sat back on the couch and Jemma put her phone away.

"Mum and Dad said hello," she said. "They'll be here Sunday morning: Dad's got a surgery tomorrow evening and no one else could take his place."

"Hmm," Leo assented. "They'll have to leave really early to be here for the ceremony."

"Yeah, I know... Mum said that she'll sleep early so that she'll drive while Dad dozes off."

Leo snorted.

"I can't really imagine your dad doing that," he remarked. Chivalry was ingrained in Jeremy Simmons' brain: there was no way he would allow his wife to drive for hours while he did something as mundane as sleep.

"Oh, don't I know," Jemma grinned. "He'll probably spend the whole time trying to convince Mum to switch places."

They both laughed and got up when his mum called them for dinner.

Dinner was a quick business: it was just them, his mum and Alison. They idly chatted about the wedding, his masters and Jemma's PhD.

Leo was pleasantly surprised to learn that his uncle and his family would come to the wedding too. It had been years since he'd last seen them them: he had been probably ten years old.

"He agreed because Alison talked to him," his mum said. "She explained that she wanted someone from your father's family to be at the wedding too."

"Oh..." Leo looked at his sister and felt a little pang of sadness. Their father should have been there: his role was important in this wedding.

Alison looked at him and smiled slightly.

"I asked Uncle Sean to walk me down the aisle," she said, guessing his thoughts. "It won't be Dad...but he's the closest to him: I know he won't mind."

Leo nodded and smiled slightly as his sister and mother shared a glance. He wondered what else they had talked about with his uncle.

He wondered what he would tell him after all these years...

He felt Jemma's fingers brush his thigh and he glanced at her. She looked concerned but he smiled, shaking his head slowly. She didn't need to worry: thinking about his dad didn't hurt him as it did years ago. Talking to her had helped...

He gently squeezed her fingers and she smiled back.

-:-

Leo was downstairs, sitting on the couch and playing with his phone, waiting for Alec and his friends who were bound to pick him up at half past ten. And that was five minutes ago.

He eyed the staircase and wondered where Jemma was.

Alison had appeared in his room in a blue dress that he never seen before and had kidnapped Jemma, telling him that they were going to get ready and that he should too.

Jemma had followed her out, carrying a bag with her clothes and toiletries, before shooting him a flustered look. Leo had stayed in bed, hands frozen on the pages of his book, wondering what the hell just happened.

And now he sat there, dressed in black jeans, trainers and a comfortable but smart blue jumper. He didn't think that there was a dress code during these nights and Alec had told him that they were going to walk around Glasgow and hit as many pubs as possible.

He expected to walk a lot, drink as much and probably carry or support someone.

But after seeing Alison dressed up, he really didn't want to go too casual. This wedding was Alison's moment and he wanted to do everything in his power to make her happy.

And if Jemma was going to dress up, he really didn't want to look like a slob next to her.

The only thing he couldn't do was shave: Alison and Jemma had occupied the bathroom so he decided that the stubble on his face would stay there.

He vaguely heard the sound of heels clicking upstairs and he wondered when the girls were going to leave. Ali had told him that they were going to some pubs too and that they would all probably meet at some point during the night.

He was sending a text to Alec, asking where he was when he heard someone walk downstairs. He looked up... and his jaw dropped. Text completely forgotten, he shoved his phone in his pocket and got up.

Jemma was... Well, the words were suddenly lost to him.

He had never seen her in dress before. Skirts, yes, when the weather was good or she was in a particular girly mood. She usually preferred more comfortable clothing: jeans, cardigans, blouses and converse or boots.

But this...

She was wearing a sleeveless green-silvery dress that fell a little short of her knees. And heels: not the uncomfortable nail-like things he had seen other girls wear but something a little lower that didn't seem that easy to walk in either.

And they did something to her legs… His eyes were mysteriously drawn to them...

She had done something to her hair, gathered it to the back of her head while some strands framed her face. And she must have done something to her face -a change in her makeup, maybe?- because she looked more radiant, her pale skin almost glowing, light brown eyes shining...

Leo was speechless and realised that he was staring but he couldn't help himself...

It was only when he saw her bite her lip and blush, breaking their eye contact that he grabbed a hold of himself. He approached her at the end of the stairs and cleared his throat, suddenly very aware of his trainers and day old stubble and jeans.

"You look stunning, Jem," he said softly, smiling.

-:-

Jemma felt warmth flush her face, flooding her cheeks, and go all the way up her ears and down her neck. She rarely dressed up -the occasions were never there- and was awfully self aware.

This dress was something she had bought on her own, unlike the one she'd be wearing for the wedding that she had bought while shopping with her Mum during the last holiday.

She had gone shopping on her own, a day that she had finished early at the University lab and Leo was still at TechData, and had tried a few dresses and heels. This one had struck her immediately because it was simple and had a touch of elegance And the heels had been walkable and not the ice picks that had made her ankle wobble dangerously.

Leo hadn't seen either of the dresses and she had been truly glad that Alison had taken her to her room. She had been nervous to see his reaction to an outfit that wasn't her really style.

His wide eyed face and compliment were pleasantly surprising and made her heart twist a bit.

She took a good look at him. He looked...nice. Handsome in a simple and boyish way.

The jumper brought out the colour of his eyes and the v-cut sort of emphasized his shoulders and arms. His curls were a bit of a mess,as usual, flying in every direction even though he'd tried to tame them with a comb and running his hands through them.

He hadn't shaved: the dust of stubble on his jaw and cheek gave him a more rugged look.

It suited him.

He looked _really_ good.

A little thrill ran down her spine.

"Thank you, Leo," she replied, smiling slightly. "You look quite charming yourself."

The smile turned into a grin when his cheeks turned pink and he scratched the back of his neck in clear embarrassment.

She was tempted to tease him a little bit more when his mother entered the room. Lena Fitz stared at them for a moment and then broke into a wide smile.

"You both look wonderful," she said, getting closer and taking a full look of them from head to toe.

"Thanks," they said together and turned around as one when they heard heels and Alison appeared.

She was wearing a simple blue dress, heels and a set of light blue earrings and necklace that Alec had given her years ago (she had said so when Jemma had asked).

Alison always looked so collected and mature for her age but now, as she descended the stairs, beamed at them and gushed over Leo, Jemma noticed that she looked younger and carefree for once.

"Is that _stubble_, Leo Camden Fitz?" Alison exclaimed, taking a look at Leo and ruffling his hair. "Oh God, what happened to my baby brother?"

Jemma heard him grunt softly in protest and watched as he ducked to escape his sister's hand and laughed when he shifted behind her, hands resting on her shoulders and head just behind her head.

"Really, Leo?" She asked, turning her head and catching a glimpse of him. "You're using me as a shield?"

He grinned at her and she had to ignore the little flutter in her stomach.

What was going on with her?

It was Alison that helped her out, unknowingly.

"You both look pretty good tonight," she commented, making them look at her and pulled out her phone. "Come on, smile."

"It's your night out and party. Why are you taking pictures of us?"Leo protested.

"That's right: my party, my night. So, _my_ rules and orders: you, smile and pose with Jemma." She stepped back a few steps, phone in hand, joining her mother.

She started clicking a few snapshots.

Jemma felt Leo shift next to her, felt the sandpapery texture of his chin graze her bare shoulder and the rush of warm breath against her cheek as he sighed. Now she _really_ had to concentrate and ignore the warm flare in her stomach.

She turned to look at him.

"You're itchy," she whispered and he snorted, smiling at her as he straightened up. With her heels, they were almost the same height and she found out that she liked being able to look at him in the eyes.

She wondered if her words had triggered memories to him as they did to her. It made her remember of their road trip during Spring Break, just the two of them on a car and sharing a tent, less than a year ago.

There had been nights talking under a starry sky and reliving old memories. They had argued once (while they were both slightly drunk) and had solved the whole thing by talking.

And had shared a kiss.

And she really shouldn't be thinking about _that_; not when she had been carefully not thinking about it and the mixed feelings it caused her. And perhaps, she shouldn't recall it now in front of _him_ and _his family_.

He looked at her with an arched brow, probably noticing that she was thinking about something. She lifted an eyebrow in response as an answer that nothing was wrong.

Silent communications were common between them: sometimes words weren't necessary.

Two sudden car horns made them all jump.

It seemed that Alison's friends had come to pick them up as did Alec.

The three of them were quickly bidding goodnight to Lena who smiled and told them to have fun. There were two cars waiting right outside the gate and Alec jumped out of his to greet them.

He looked at Jemma and whistled appreciatively, making her blush. Alison swatted his arm and he laughed, brushing a kiss on her face and whispering something that only she could hear, making her blush as well.

Jemma smiled, watching the couple and wondered if falling in love would really feel as wonderful as it looked from the outside: they looked so utterly happy...

She had never really thought about it. Her life had always been dedicated to her studies and she'd always been on her own, no one really caught her attention.

Until...

"I'll see you later, yeah?"

Jemma turned to her side to find Leo staring at her, blue eyes a tad darker under the streetlights. Her heart flipped in her chest, making her feel suddenly warm.

She'd have to sort out these emotions and thoughts at some point: they were getting her confused as hell...

"Yeah," she replied, managing to keep a steady voice. "Don't get too drunk."

"As if..." He rolled his eyes and she grinned. They'd both discovered that they had a rather high tolerance for alcohol: they wouldn't be embarrassing themselves tonight.

Unless Alison and Alec took it upon themselves to do so...

Said couple appeared at their sides and dragged them to the cars: Jemma with girls and Leo with the boys. She barely had time to shoot him a glance and smile as he grinned at her before being introduced to Alison's friends.

-:-

They were at their third pub, a small cluster of young women laughing and drinking colourful cocktails while getting free drinks or snacks whenever one of Alison's friends announced loudly 'She's getting married!'

Jemma laughed alongside them, every now and then taking a picture with her phone and sending it to Leo. Alison was on her way to getting fully drunk (Jemma had lost count of how many drinks she had had) but it seemed that resilience was a Fitz family trait and she laughed and talked with her friends.

Alison's friends were a nice and cheerful group. They were all the same age and had all been to school together, some were in old classmates. It didn't surprise her: Leo had mentioned how the families of his neighbourhood were close knit, knowing each other for years.

They were all young women who had started their working life: some were teachers, like Alison, others working in offices or companies.

She was the youngest in the group, being nineteen, but she wasn't surprised or flustered: she had always been the youngest everywhere.

She had long come to terms with that.

Jemma was a little bit of a source of curiosity for the other girls. It seemed that Alison often spoke about her and Leo so they all knew that she was PhD at MIT.

She had noticed that all of them were in literary or economics fields: no one but her was in science. They had asked her about her PhD and she had talked -rambled really, she realised later- about some applied forms of biochemistry that she was working on.

It made her smile that none of them had rolled their eyes or looked at her oddly but rather listened politely even though they probably didn't understand half of what she was saying.

_Leo_ got lost in her biochem talk after a while...

Moments later, they were all chatting and Jemma was listening as names of people she didn't know were thrown around (Alison would fill her in, describing or adding a detail to explain). At some point, she was out of any conversation and was going to a sip of her drink when Shona Taylor took the seat next to hers, beaming.

Jemma blinked. Twice. But then she smiled back politely.

"So, Jemma..." she said, taking a sip of an awfully bright pink drink. Jemma wondered which elements would make that colour when combined...

"Yes?"

"You're Leo's girlfriend," The woman really didn't bat around the bush, it seemed.

"Hmm," she hummed in reply, hoping that it would be enough. She was a horrible liar and direct questions would have her a flustering mess.

Avoiding them would help her...

She and Leo had concocted a little bit of background for their alleged love story. She had asked him to do so because she hated improvisation. Leo had blushed crimson and had mumbled that that they could use their own friendship background, adding little details when necessary. Jemma had agreed, outlining the moments in her mind.

"How long have you've been together?"

"It's almost two years," she replied.

Seventeen-eighteen seemed to be an ideal age in her mind: it seemed like a plausible time for them to fall in love.

In their _hypothetical_ story, of course.

Jemma tried not to think about the fact that she had started to notice little things about Leo around that age: noticed the way he had grown up, how his voice had deepened and how other girls at campus looked at him.

"Oh... and you live together?"

Jemma blushed.

"We share a dorm room," she corrected her. The concept of living together made everything look more intimate...

Shona must have mistaken her blush for some girlish emotion that she couldn't define because she grinned at her.

"Oh..." she cooed. "Young first love... that's so adorable.!"

Jemma took a sip of her drink, attempting to cool her suddenly warm face. Her words were doing funny things to her heart.

"So, how is Leo?" Jemma blinked at her in confusion. "As a boyfriend."

"-er..." Now _that_ wasn't something she had considered: actual personal opinions and descriptions.

"Come on..." Thankfully, Shona thought that she was being shy and not completely at loss to what to say. "Is he sweet? Gives you presents or comes up with little surprises? Or is he the sort of guy that forgets your birthday?" The sudden harshness in her tone made Jemma realise that Shona was clearly talking about her ex. "Never cooks or cleans.."

"What? _No_, no,no... He's not like that!" she exclaimed, defending Leo. "He _is_ sweet. He's never forgotten my birthday since we've met. He helps with the chores: we take turns cleaning. And...he always makes breakfast."

"Oooh..really?"

Jemma had to fight back a snort at Shona's cooing. She didn't know that Leo's cooking was disastrous. Breakfast was the only thing he did without damaging the kitchen.

Although...she had to admit that he was quite careful and attentive. He usually made her favourite blueberry pancakes when she had early classes and her tea was always perfectly made when she woke up.

"He's really sweet," she admitted with a smile.

"He seems like the type of bloke that pays for dinners..." Shona sipped her drink and grinned at her again. Jemma really didn't understand where she was going with all these questions. She had never been in a relationship with a boy and never had girl friends who would pry.

She was just pretending now but somehow the truth slipped past her lips, making her forget about it.

"Oh..he would if I allowed him," she confessed. They would go out to eat somewhere or to the cinema or to some random museum or exhibit when they were both free. They always paid for themselves, splitting bills and tickets but Leo did have the habit of paying for the extras: he left tips at restaurants or diners, bought booklets or gadgets for both at museums or popcorn at cinemas.

She complained, always, but he waved her words away, saying that he wanted to do it. It had come to the point that they tried to beat each other every time but he often managed to win. He was way too sneaky.

"He's the one that always remembers anniversaries...and plans something. Every time."

The words escaped her mouth before she could stop them as they followed her train of thoughts. If Shona had been cooing before, now she was definitely gushing.

"God, he seems perfect! Let me guess: he's also a good kisser, yeah? She remarked with a wink. "And good in the other departments...?"

"And that's something I _really_ don't want to know about my little brother," Alison exclaimed, interrupting their conversation and saving Jemma from self combustion. "Come on, we're leaving. Heather knows another place down the street."

Jemma nodded and stood up while Shona smiled at her and went to speak with some of her friends.

Alison approached her.

"You alright there?" She asked, smiling slightly. Her face was slightly pink but she looked lucid and very happy. "Thought you were going to burn out for a moment..."

Jemma reached for cheeks, feeling them hot beneath her palms.

"Hmm," she mumbled. "Shona asks _a lot_ of questions."

"It's my fault really... She mustn't have believed me when I said that you and Leo were dating and tried to get you to crack up. But you didn't," Alison grinned as they left the pub, both walking a bit on the back away from the others. "You were quite convincing: I almost believed you when you were speaking about dates and anniversaries."

"I didn't make it up," Jemma said absently, looking around the street. She then caught Alison staring. "What?"

"You and Leo go out on dates?" She asked. "Am I missing something here?"

"_What?_" Jemma blinked and then groaned slightly. "Not in _that_ way. We don't go out together! We just-" She huffed. "We go out. Together."

"I think that's pretty much the same thing, Jemma."

"There isn't anything romantic."

"Right... what about the anniversary story?"

Jemma smiled at that, ducking her face before looking up at Alison.

"It's the twenty-second of June: the day we first met in London, four years ago," she explained. "I'm..horrible at remembering dates: I've got my parents and Leo's birthday circled on the calendar. But Leo remembers. He always does and has always organised something on it; whether it be a take-away and film in our dorm or tickets to some exhibit we wanted to go to..."

She didn't tell her that he had actually taken her out for a full day when she had complained about her inexperience in dating and she had later found out about their meeting's anniversary.

She didn't realise the fond smile that lit her face. Alison did and smiled.

"Over here!"

Alison's best friend, Heather, pointed to a brightly lit pub. Jemma promptly followed the other girls inside and as they waited for a table, she replayed her conversation with Shona and Alison in her mind.

She'd never admit it aloud but... they _did_ act like a couple.

But they weren't.

There wasn't anything romantic between them.

That only kiss had been a curious experiment...

They were best friends.

Nothing more.

Right?

-:-

Leo drank his beer and grinned as Alec's best friend, Kyle finished a hilarious story about them during ice hockey practice at school. The table of ten or so men roared with laughter as Alec hit Kyle's arm with a punch and drained his beer.

Leo had never been out for a boys' night and had never had close male friends. He watched this group of twenty-five years old interact with each other, all grown men with jobs, that suddenly became rowdy boys when they were together.

Bryce was on the other corner of the table, chatting with some of the men, nursing a red ale. Leo watched him attentively: he was smiling and laughing freely, comfortable with them in a way that he had never been with him.

It stung but he was used to the feeling now. He was nineteen, had lost his dad eleven years ago along with his brother's affection and presence in his life.

He was used to it now...

Alec's friends are all friendly and surprisingly easy to talk to. Some are architects that work with his almost brother-in-law while the others are old school friends, people that he vaguely remembered seeing at school but that we were mostly oblivious to him. He didn't mind that though: he preferred to be ignored rather than taunted.

He would see James and Andrew at the wedding reception: Alec had told him while they were arriving at the pub, shortly after they met Bryce. They should have been there with them but fortunately, they'd been delayed by some sudden family dinner. Leo hoped that they'd be busy on Sunday too.

He had heard rumours about the other boys' families: rumours about failing businesses and high tax payments. Bryce, Andrew and James were sharing an apartment in Glasgow close to the Law School where his brother and Andrew went.

He wondered about their condition: his brother worked but the apartment belonged to James. If something went wrong, Bryce would have to go back and live with their mother...

He had meant to ask Alec about it but he opted to wait until after the wedding.

"Leo, what about Quantum Physics? How's that?"

He turned to his side and looked at Alec's younger brother, Colin. Leo had expected to be the youngest of the group but had been pleasantly surprised to see that he had been wrong.

Colin was nineteen like him and a junior in Mechanical Engineering in Glasgow. Leo remembered old times, when he had been younger, and the MacDaniels had come over to his house: he used to play with Colin he was a kid.

Somewhere along the line, he assumed when he skipped class, they had drifted away.

Leo wondered how things would have been if he hadn't been a genius child. There had been times, when he was younger, that he had allowed the thought to grow in his head and it had been painful.

His father would be alive...probably. His mother wouldn't be in a wheelchair.

He would have had a normal childhood, playing with friends. He and Colin might be best mates and maybe now, at nineteen, he'd be planning his university career too, wondering which classes to choose and which not.

He would have given anything to have this Normal-Leo's life then. When his younger self was in bad place, thoughts dark and consuming, he would have done anything to have that life.

Things had become brighter after meeting Jemma.

Now, as he thought about the pros and cons of a genius and non-genius life, one point tipped the scales for the genius side: Jemma.

He really couldn't imagine a life without her being in it.

Leo took a swig of beer, washing away the turmoil of feelings suddenly swirling in his chest. He was thinking many odd things lately...

And all about his best friend.

He had to get a grip of himself.

"Quantum Physics?" Leo repeated, trying to concentrate. "Well, that's an interesting subject." He started talking (rambling really) about the various applied forms of quantum theories; it was only after five minutes of non-stop talking that he understood that he had lost Colin at the start but was listening with rapt attention because he was idolising him.

And _that_ was a rather laughable concept.

Alec must talk about him often because Colin had greeted him enthusiastically when he got into the car and talked about his interest in Mechanics. He had raved about Leo already having a PhD and now taking a Technical Master in a big engineering company in Boston

Leo had blushed the whole way to the meeting place in town. It was odd to hear someone his age appreciate him and his studies; he was used to hearing it from professors and his family but not peers.

The only one his age that had ever acknowledged his genius was Jemma...

They talked for a while, he and Colin. The engineering talk subsided at some point and one of Alec's friends joined the conversation when Colin switched to sports: football and ice hockey. Neither were in Leo's field of interest; he had never been athletic or a sports fiend but he followed the news and knew some things. He listened more than talked as he sipped his beer.

At some point, they left. It was late, almost one o'clock and he wondered for how long they were going to walk around the streets of Glasgow, slipping into pubs and drinking.

Alec and his friends were walking, holding onto to each other, laughing about something. Bryce walked next to them, grinning.

"Phew..." Colin muttered next to him, straightening his hooded jumper. "How the hell are they so fine and dandy? I've had four ales and my head's shorting out: I'll have a hell of hangover tomorrow. Mum will murder me..."

Leo snorted.

"She'll be busy bringing Alec back from the dead," he commented, nodding towards his brother. "I've lost count on how much he drank."

"Yeah..." Colin grinned. "Would be a bit of problem if the groom was not up to be at the wedding."

"Alison would come over and murder him."

"Oh, believe me, Mum would do it _first_."

They both laughed.

Leo wondered what the girls were doing. There really weren't that many pubs in Glasgow: they should have met or would meet at some point.

As on cue, he heard female voices and he turned just in time to see a group of women stumble around the corner. Actually, one woman stumbled: his sister.

Leo literally groaned when his sister -mature, hard working, thoroughly-rule-abiding-_sister_- grinned a wide, dazed and drunk grin and pointed in the general direction of Alec.

"Hey, look, that's my fiancé!" She said loudly to...the whole street. Leo clapped a hand against his head and groaned again, while Colin laughed. He heard another groan and turned to his side to see Bryce mimic him, hand slap and all.

Oh well, they seemed to agree on this at least: their sister was being ridiculous.

Colin joined the sorrowful bunch of embarrassed younger brothers when Alec walked -half-stumbled, swayed, whatever- towards Alison, announcing that she was his fiancée.

"Christ, he just woke up half the city," Colin muttered.

Thankfully, Alec and Ali's best friends intervened, taking the two to sit on a bench and getting them quiet.

Leo watched the four friends: he remembered seeing them together in school during lunch breaks. He smiled, glad to know that his sister had always had friends by her side.

"Holy shit," Colin muttered beside him. "Who the _hell_ is that?"

Leo turned to look at him and then followed his gaze.

Straight to where Jemma was standing. She looked up and saw him, face breaking into a smile and walked towards him.

"Hell...she's..." Colin whistled appreciatively and grinned at him.

Leo found his new appreciation and friendly affection for Colin waning very, _very_ fast. Ignoring him, he let out a breath and walked towards Jemma, meeting her half way.

She wobbled slightly on the last step and he moved forward, grabbing her by her elbow and shoulder.

"Woah, there..." he said, steadying her. "Are you drunk?"

"As if..." she huffed, echoing his words at the beginning of the night. "I'd like to see _you_ walking the whole night in these contraptions..."

Leo snorted.

"Right..." He grinned. "Had fun with Ali and her friends?"

"Yeah, it had been a fun night" She laughed softly. "I even managed to convince Alison's friend that we're really together..."

"Really?" A smile made its way on his face. "How?"

"Hmm... We just talked... You know, girl talk."

She was hiding something, he was quite sure but he didn't press on. It was nice to see her so carefree; she'd been a bit stressed over her thesis lately...

"You?" She asked, looking at him. "How was your night?"

"I had fun, too," he replied with a nod.

"Do you think someone's up to drive?" Her eyes took in the large group of men and women, wondering who would be able to drive a car at this moment.

He could see her concern but Colin spoke up from behind him. Leo had almost forgotten that he was there.

"Kyle and Heather didn't drink anything," he said, approaching them. "They were at home when they organised this night and those two were speaking about best friends' responsibility. Or was it best man and maid of honour? Well, whatever.." Colin grinned and held out a hand to Jemma. "I'm Colin."

"He's Alec's brother," Leo told her.

"Oh, I'm Jemma," she replied, shaking the hand with a smile. "Jemma Simmons, pleased to meet you."

As soon as she let go of his hand, Colin looked at Leo and then at Jemma. It was only after a moment that Leo realised that he was still holding her, fingers curled around her arm. He hadn't even realised... and neither did Jemma, it seemed.

And for some reason, he didn't want to let go...

"Oh, yeah..." Colin's expression brightened. "You go to MIT with Leo, right? Are you an engineer too?"

"Oh God, no. One is more than enough" Jemma replied and shot Leo a teasing smile. "I'm a biochemist."

"A brilliant biochemist," Leo added with a smile. "Jemma's finishing her second PhD."

"I'd say you're pretty brilliant too, Mr. Rocket Scientist..." she remarked, glancing at him.

Leo grinned.

Colin stared at them for a moment before asking more things about MIT and the three of them stood there talking for a while until Alec called for his brother and he excused himself.

Jemma turned to Leo, eyebrow raised.

"What?" He asked.

"What was all that about?"

"I don't understand..."

"_This_," She gestured to his hand, fingers firm around her wrist now. "And the whole 'She's brilliant' thing."

Leo shrugged.

"If I didn't do that, you'd probably be dealing with a smitten suitor."

Jemma shot him a deadpanned look.

"Really?" She drawled. "So, you're putting up the jealous-pretend-boyfriend act now?"

"Annoyed-pretend-boyfriend act, please."

Jemma laughed.

-:-

People started to wave goodbye and leave in little groups.

Colin and Kyle had to each take Alec by an arm and get him inside the car. Heather agreed to take her, Leo and Alison home while Bryce waited along with them before walking to his apartment.

Jemma couldn't help but chuckle when Alison suddenly got a hold of both her brothers as they hovered close to her, identical concerned looks on their faces, and pulled them in a hug.

Both boys groaned in protest and pain as their sister nuzzled them, making them hit their heads against each other.

"You two are the best brothers in the world," Alison announced happily.

"Er- good to know," Leo commented dryly.

"Bloody hell, Ali," Bryce remarked. "You're sloshed. And clingy."

He slowly tried to disentangle himself but his sister held tight.

"No, not letting go. I don't know when I'll get to hold you like this again. Just... Just a moment, like the old times." It came out like a soft plea.

Jemma saw how Leo froze, going still in his sister's hold. Bryce stopped fidgeting too and turned to his brother with a wide eyed expression-it was the first time that she actually saw him do that.

Alison was hugging them with her eyes closed and she didn't know what was happening but it seemed important for her.

She wondered if she used to do this before, when they three of them were younger. She could almost imagine caring and loving Alison hug her younger brothers freely: the older girl just exuded that sort of love. Just the way Alec did.

And after their troubled past and conflicts, her brothers were allowing her to do so now.

Jemma felt a little bit of emotion choke her throat when she saw Leo's arm slowly wrap around Alison's waist and Bryce wrap an arm around her shoulder. The two brothers shared a glanced and exchanged a wry smile.

The moment lasted a minute. Jemma and Heather stood there in silence, both sharing a glance and a small smile. Jemma realised that the other woman knew a side of Alison that was rarely shown: she must have seen her cry, get angry, lose faith in everything and herself.

Just like she knew Leo and his fears and doubts...

The three siblings broke away, Alison smiling a watery smile while Leo and Bryce looked a bit choked up but bracing themselves to be normal.

Bryce stepped away and waved a hand.

"See you on Sunday," he said softly, looking at his sister. "Night, sis."

He walked away after Alison smiled at him.

Heather walked forward and took a hold of Alison,wrapping an arm around her waist while the elder Fitz rambled about her being the best friend in the world. The soft laughter coming from the two older girls made Jemma smile.

Leo was standing still, his eyes fixed on the retreating figure of his brother. His eyes were a swirl of emotion. She approached him and without saying a word, laced her fingers around his wrist, squeezing slightly.

He just stared at her and shot her a soft look that made her heart thud in her chest but she managed a smile and they walked to the car.

Once at home and after tucking Alison in her bed, they checked all the doors and walked into Leo's room, Jemma carrying her heels from the moment she stepped on the porch, feeling immediate relief.

They moved around in silence, not wanting to wake up Leo's mother downstairs. The only thought in Jemma's mind was to change and go to sleep. Tiredness was weighing on her body: the early morning at the lab, the plane trip and the late night getting to her at once.

Leo was knackered as she was, she could clearly see it by the way his shoulders were slumped as he took off his jumper and trainers.

She was going to leave the room, carrying her sleepwear and toiletries when a thought crossed her mind and she froze by the door.

"Jemma?" Leo's voice was barely a whisper but she could clearly hear his confusion. She felt a blush rise on her face.

"Er...I need your help," she whispered back, turning around. He approached her, puzzled and she felt the blush darken on her face.

She must have drank a little bit too much during the night; otherwise, she couldn't explain the sudden warm tingles in her stomach as she looked at Leo in his white t-shirt with his scruffy jaw and messy curls.

Some part of her mind was telling her to drop everything she had in her hands and see how his chin and hair would feel under her fingers. Jemma remembered the sandpapery texture of his jaw against her shoulder and couldn't help the little shiver that ran down her spine at the thought of his jaw nudging against the soft skin of her neck…

"Jemma?" Leo was awfully close now. She got a heady whiff of his cologne and it did terrible things to her wriggling stomach. Why were her body and mind suddenly reminding her that she was a nineteen year old girl? Why was she sensing Leo's pheromones in a completely _non-academic _way?

'Focus, Jemma,' she thought to herself. Bloody hell, she was a doctor and a biologist, not just some hormonal girl!

"Alison helped me get dressed earlier," she explained turning around again and showing her back to him. Maybe not looking at him would give her time to clear her head... She moved her hair out of the way. "Can you-can you unzip me? An inch or two will be enough..."

She couldn't see his face and was immensely glad of it. Best friends or not, it was the first time that she has asked him to help her out of her clothes.

And..._that_ sounded completely wrong in her head. And it created a whole influx of thoughts too...

Bloody hell...

Jemma felt Leo get closer to her. She literally felt his body heat on her back. Her heart did some odd flips in her chest.

Out of the blue, she felt Leo's hand on her right shoulder. She had discarded her heels so when he leaned forward, she felt his body enclose hers, his breath tingling the hair of her nape.

She turned to her side and her heart thudded loudly in her chest when she almost brushed his nose in doing so. They were so close she could clearly see the various shades of blue that coloured his eyes; eyes, she noticed, that had turned darker than usual.

It suddenly occurred to her that Leo must be affected by all of..._this_ (whatever _this _was) just as she was. And he was giving in to the feeling, teasing her slightly.

Her fuzzy and muddled brain made her realise that they'd been doing this a lot lately, without really giving it much thought. They had grown to be a little more tactile with each other: brushed touches, hugs or cuddles when they watched a film together…

Everything clearly platonic and friendly but enough to send a little thrill down her spine. Or make his eyes darken like they did now.

"You alright?" Leo asked softly, smiling slightly. His chin scratched her bare shoulder as he talked and Jemma was thoroughly distracted by the rough feeling.

Feeling more than bold, the sensation enhanced by the alcohol in her, Jemma leaned back, savoring the warmth radiating from him and craned her neck slightly, bumping her nose against his before brushing it down his left cheekbone.

She felt Leo breathe out deeply and her lips quirked upwards when his hand gripped her shoulder a little tighter.

"I might have had too many cocktails tonight," she whispered, her lips barely brushing the thin scruff of his jaw. "Brain's a bit fuzzy."

A voice in her head was telling her to turn around and move closer. His eyes were beckoning her...

'No...' Jemma thought. 'Not a good idea...'

Leo looked at her, eyes moving over the length of her face and her heart did a funny twist when his stare fell on her lips.

"Mine too," he whispered, biting his lip. "Too much ale maybe..."

He sighed softly and smiled.

The little wave of warm air on her face along with the smile and lip bite did terrible -or wonderful?- she wasn't really sure- things to her mind and heart.

Their lips were inches apart and Jemma wondered what would happen if she -or he- closed the distance.

They stood in his room and a series of... possibilities crossed her mind, making warm tingles flicker in her stomach. Her eyes flitted to Leo's lips and then his eyes.

The intensity in his gaze made her swallow dryly.

This was Leo.

_Her best friend_, Leo.

That thought made a ray of reason pierce her mind and she blushed, instantly stepping forward, away from Leo. She felt the scrape of Leo's fingers on her skin and promptly ignored the feeling.

She couldn't help but notice though how his fingers loosened their grip on her shoulder but didn't move away.

He could have pulled her back against him...

She didn't want to linger on the thought that she might have not stopped him from doing so..

"The.. the zip," she whispered. The hand on her right shoulder stilled for a moment before sliding to her spine. She felt his other hand splayed on her shoulder blade.

His fingers were warm against her neck and she had to suppress a shiver when she felt them move down the first trait of her spine with the metallic zipper.

What was happening to her?

This was just Leo...

"Done," he whispered, breath hitting the back of her neck. She swallowed dryly again.

"Thanks," she said, quickly turning around. He was blushing too and his eyes were a deep blue.

Her heart thumped loudly again but she ignored it, rushing to the bathroom.

It took her ten minutes to change and get ready for the night. When she got back, Leo had already changed. She smiled seeing that he was wearing his old MIT t-shirt.

The familiarity of it brought a wave of calm over her: it was enough to clear her head from these odd thoughts.

They settled on their beds, so close now that their arms almost touched.

"Goodnight," she whispered and saw his outline turn towards her in the darkness.

"Goodnight," he replied softly.

Jemma blinked in the dark and it was Leo's steady breathing that actually lulled her into sleep a few minutes later.

* * *

Please, leave a review... :)


	2. Chapter 2

-HEAD CANON SERIES-

You guys are awesome as always... The response to this story was great!

Here's chapter 2: I had to cut the one shot in half since it was enormous. Hope you guys like it.

Thanks to my Beta StarryDreamer01 who helped me edit this.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AGENTS OF SHIELD.

* * *

Saturday passed in a breeze.

After their late night, Leo and Jemma walked into the kitchen bleary eyed when it was almost noon. His mother had made them breakfast and after a hot tea, they felt awake.

The first thing he did was mount the new wheelchair and let his mum try and get used to it. She could easily move around the house and also in the yard without tiring herself out. Leo had noticed that she tended not to move around a lot when her arms got tired. His mother worked with her hands, just like he did, and if the chair did all the work, then she wouldn't have to worry for her hands and arms.

Despite his mum's protest to relax, he and Jemma helped her clean the house and the back yard.

Their home was an old family house that had belonged to his mother's family for decades. The property included the house, spacious front garden, the old shed and the vast backyard; the yard was a expanse of meadow that extended for a good hundred feet and that boarded the small cluster of oak trees that separated their property from their neighbours. It was a miniature forest of old trees and Leo used to read there when he was a kid.

The yard was never used for anything and he knew that people had advised his mum to sell the land but she never agreed to do so. It meant too much for her: memories, family and much more...

The wedding reception would take place in the yard so they spent the afternoon arranging tables and chairs with the help of Alec's father and people from the catering service.

At some point during the afternoon, Alison appeared, a bit ruffled and suffering the last traces of a hangover but lucid enough to help with her own wedding.

She ushered Jemma and Leo away once she realised that they'd been hard at work all day and helped the catering service herself while their mother hovered around her, making suggestions about the organisation of tables and chairs.

Leo sat down on the back porch steps, watching the flurry of movements in front of him. His thoughts wandered aimlessly as he looked at Alison, smiling at something that Alec's father said.

He thought about her being so unlike herself last night: carefree, emotional...

The way she had hugged him and Bryce brought back memories...

And the it hit him square in the chest.

Christ, his sister was getting _married_ tomorrow.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

He looked up as Jemma sat down next to him, handing him a mug of tea.

"Thanks," he said softly, taking the tea and sipping. Despite the sunny day, it was nice to drink something warm.

They were silent for a while, holding their mugs with both hands.

"So?" She asked, glancing at him. He looked back and smiled, her previous question coming back to his mind.

"Just wondering about random things," he replied. "Mostly, what or who possessed my sister last night."

Jemma laughed softly.

"I think she just needed to be completely carefree for once," she said, taking a sip of tea and stretching her legs in front of her. "Alec too. They're always thinking about everything, concerned about everyone's well being... They probably needed a thoughtless night. I'm no expert but I do think that getting married and starting to build a life together would bring a rally of thoughts and responsibilities."

"Yeah..." he remarked. "She's always been too responsible for her own good. And she's always putting others before herself. I'm glad that Alec came along: he's lifted some of that weight off of her."

"I always thought that they balanced each other," Jemma smiled slightly. "They remind me of Mum and Dad at times..."

Leo grinned. Saying that Ali and Alec resembled her parents was paying them an enormous compliment; his sister and future husband had nine years of together while her parents had been together for -what, almost twenty-seven years? If Alison and Alec ended up being like the Simmons, Leo was sure that they'd be more than happy for the rest of their lives.

They fell silent again. At some point, he heard Alison's voice as she spoke on the phone to Alec, he assumed, and complained about migraines, throbbing heads and -'I'm never drinking again!'

Leo grinned.

"God, if I ever start drinking at my bachelor party, you've got to stop me, yeah?" The moment he said it, he bit his tongue. What the hell was he saying?

Jemma turned to him, eyebrow raised and chin resting on her clasped hands. She shot him a curious look that he couldn't define and it unsettled him.

"Hmm, it _would_ be rather amusing to see you drunk and frivolous," she commented and smirked. "But as your best friend, I'll do what I can..."

He didn't answer but just stared at her.

He had never thought of getting married: the idea was so farfetched, it was almost laughable. He didn't have any experience with girls, had never been on a date.

And Jemma was also the only girl with whom he had gone out on something like a date or kissed.

His heart clenched as his mind conjured a smoky image of some remote future. An image of him and _her,_ vowing to be together forever...

Just as it appeared, the image dissolved but the feeling lingered in his chest, making his heart beat wildly and leaving his mind in shambles.

His thoughts went to last night where they'd been so close to doing something that would have overstepped all of their boundaries. Jemma's soft smile and intense look as he hovered behind her made his heart clench again. If she had given him a sign, he would have closed the distance between their lips and kissed her.

And he was sure that he wouldn't have blamed the slight fuzz of alcohol in his system…

Something else was lurking there between them. It had been for a while...

He just didn't know _what _it was.

He almost sighed in relief when Alison called Jemma over, leaving him on the steps. It would give him time to clear his mind from his sudden and confusing thoughts...

Leo watched as his best friend talked with his sister and mother, watched as she laughed at something...

Jemma was his best friend.

Nothing more.

Right?

-:-

The whole house was a flurry of nerves and emotions on Sunday.

It all started when his uncle Sean came with his wife and daughter. Leo had to blink twice and choke down whatever emotion was clogging his throat at the sight of his father's brother after eight years.

Sean looked a lot like Scott despite being three years older. Seeing him was like seeing a hypothetical image of what his father might have looked like now.

When his uncle smiled and hugged him, Leo had felt like a child again, wanting to cling to his uncle after his dad's passing but putting up a strong façade. He wondered if Bryce, who had come to the house early, felt the same as their uncle embraced him.

Alison appeared shortly after, a vision of white in her wedding dress and Leo wondered what was wrong with him when he felt like smiling, laughing and crying all together.

The Simmons rang the doorbell an hour before the wedding ceremony. Jemma had been upstairs the whole morning, giving his family privacy when his uncle arrived and then getting dressed.

Leo greeted the Simmons with a smile and got hugged by Mrs Simmons ("_Elaine_, how many time do I have to tell you, Leo?"). He was almost ready in his charcoal dress pants, matching coat draped on a chair downstairs and crisp white shirt. He was trying to figure out how to knot the tie as he came to his bedroom's door. He was about to knock to tell Jemma that her parents were here when she opened it.

And the tie was suddenly the last of his thoughts...

Actually, all thoughts just fled his mind and he just stared.

If he had thought that Jemma was stunning a few nights ago, she was downright beautiful right now.

She was wearing a cream coloured dress that flowed past her knees and matching heels. High heels, he noticed, that made her taller and all the more alluring.

Leo couldn't help but allow his eyes to take in the sight of his best friend showing little bits of skin and curves _-very _feminine curves- that were usually hidden by more modest clothing.

He swallowed dryly when he took in her face. Her hair was down, falling in a cascade of honey colored curls that framed her face. And she was wearing make-up: it did something to her eyes because he was sure that they weren't so bright and clear amber usually.

He would have noticed, right?

Leo stared shamelessly without realising it. Jemma ducked her head for a second and bit her lip in embarrassment before peering up at him.

"Good?" She asked softly, touching the long silver earring dangling from her right earlobe. "Or bad?"

Saying that she looked good was the greatest understatement of the century...but he couldn't say that loudly. Leo forced himself out of his stupor and smiled at her.

"You look wonderful," he said honestly, blushing slightly when he saw her blush.

"Thank you," she replied and approached him. Her eyes fell on the tie dangling around his neck. "Having trouble with that?"

"I can't find a way to keep the knot tight and straight," he said, rolling his eyes as she chuckled. "Why, you know how to do that?"

"Funnily enough, yes," She reached for the ends and her fingers started to move around his neck and in front of him in quick, skilled movements.

He tried to pay attention and learn but his mind is suddenly enveloped by the scent of lavender that he had learned to associate with her. There's a new fragrance lingering in the background, he noticed. Some other flower... Lilies?

She noticed his gaze and quirked an eyebrow.

"Just wondering why you know how to knot a tie," he replied to her silent question.

"Dad," she said and smiled. "I asked to help him when I was younger. I think he was going to some conference or ball with Mum that night... and he indulged on me. He used to ask me to knot it for him so I could practice." She glanced at him, eyes peering through long lashes. "I could teach you."

He nodded, not trusting his voice and she smiled again, smoothing his shirt collar.

A sound to the right made them turn in unison and Leo was surprised to see Bryce standing there. He looked at both of them oddly, eyes flitting between him and Jemma, before walking past them and into his room without saying a word.

Curious but unconcerned, he glanced at Jemma and shrugged. Today was Ali's day and it had to be perfect: Bryce didn't matter.

"Oh..." He suddenly remembered the reason of his going upstairs. "Your parents are here."

She beamed at him.

"Let's go then," she said and tugged his wrist. He smiled, allowing her to drag him downstairs.

-:-

The wedding was celebrated in a small chapel a few streets away from Leo's house. He explained that it was the same place where his parents and maternal grandparents had married.

And the same for the past generation of Alec's family.

When they filed into the chapel and stood at benches, she looked around, taking in the wooden beams and simple décor. It was rare for her to step inside a church.

She wasn't a religious person and neither were her parents: there was too much rationality and science running through their veins. She knew that Leo shared similar thoughts but it didn't seem to extend to his family. She had seen the small cross that Lena and Alison wore on a chain on their necks and she thought that she had seen a similar cross around Bryce's neck as well.

She couldn't help but wonder about it, the whole concept of believing in _someone_ that just existed because of faith in a deity. It was hard to understand.

She stood with her parents in the bench right behind Leo's family. She saw Alec standing by the altar, tall and nervous as she had never seen him before.

The march erupted suddenly and they all turned around. The flower girl(Alec's sister) walked by and then came the bridesmaids (Shona winked at her as she passed. Or at Leo. Or both, she wasn't sure...) and then Alison escorted by her uncle.

She looked beautiful in the white dress sewn by her mother: it was sleeveless with a white bodice and satin gown, lace intricately patterned around it. Her long sandy brown curls tumbled past her shoulders and were covered by a thin, embroidered veil.

She was smiling but her hands were gripping the flower bouquet, her eyes darting through the small crowd, softening when she saw her family.

Jemma watched as Alison's eyes fell on Alec and saw the older girl light up, literally radiate joy from every fibre of her being, smile widening and eyes unwaveringly fixed on him.

Alec's green eyes were glued on Alison and took a soft, adoring look that made Jemma smile.

She wondered again if falling in love was as wonderful as it looked...

Her eyes flitted to Leo, standing to her right in front of her; he glanced back, smiling.

A flutter went through her stomach but she ignored it. She was doing this often lately: ignoring these confused messages that her body was giving her.

It happened again when Alison and Alec exchanged their vows.

"...to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law, in the presence of God I make this vow..."

It was just a line but the emotion lingering in their voices got to Jemma as well and she found herself swallowing a lump that was suddenly in her throat.

She never labelled herself an overly romantic girl but... this did something to her.

Out of no where a handkerchief appeared in front of her and she looked up to meet Leo's eyes, a bit glassy but soft. He quirked his lips in a crooked smile that made her heart do a funny flop in her chest but she managed to smile back, taking the handkerchief from his extended hand and dabbing the little moisture at the corner of her eyes.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur. It was all cheers and applauses and congratulations being tossed around at some point.

The sight of an emotional Alison hugging her mother (Lena wearing a blue dress and looking happier than Jemma had ever seen her) and then her brothers, one by one, making her smile.

When she and her parents went to congratulate the newlyweds, Jemma was engulfed in a tight hug by Alison and she melted slightly, wondering if this was how a sister would treat her.

"Congratulations," Jemma said softly.

"Thank you," Alison replied in a choked voice. "Thank you for everything, Jemma."

She pulled back and looked confused. The older girl shot her a watery smile.

"Leo," she said as though that should be an explanation. "You brought Leo back. He was gone after Dad died, lost inside himself... but then you came along and brought him back. I'll never be able to thank you enough for making my brother happy."

Jemma blinked. Stared. And then blushed, unable to respond.

That...wasn't true, right?

She looked at Leo, hugging Alec and congratulating him with a grin and thought about the fourteen year old boy who wouldn't allow himself call his family when he felt alone.

It couldn't be her...right? She didn't do anything...

-:-

Jemma watched Leo during the reception.

She was sitting with her parents, eating as the waiters brought food and piling things on the plate that should be Leo's.

He was walking around taking pictures and videos. The photographer that had taken pictures and videos during the ceremony was eating and Leo had taken his place in the meantime.

She smiled at his adamant, single handed, quest to make the wedding perfect and flawless. It was a his way of showing his sister how much he cared for her: he did little things without really being asked to do them. Like when the bottles of water had finished and he had run over to the shed to bring a crate.

Her best friend was an adorable, sweet boy...

"How are you feeling about your dissertation, sweetheart?" Her father asked, sipping some wine. "Nervous?"

"A bit," Jemma confessed, wiping her mouth with her napkin. "It's on Wednesday and I've got to simulate and explain an experiment in front of a commission..." She smiled nervously. "I really don't like speaking in public."

"Will Leo be there?" Her mother asked.

"Yes, thank god..." She had almost cried in relief when he told her that he had managed to get the morning off so that he could attend her dissertation. "Although...I think he'll have to work on Saturday for that." He'd be knackered on the weekend and she had already thought about a way to thank him: a nice homemade dinner and a Harry Potter movie marathon.

"That's very sweet of him," Her mum smiled.

"Yeah," Jemma smiled fondly and totally missed the glance shared by her parents.

"Any plans afterwards?" Her dad asked. "His Masters ends in July, right?"

"Yes, it does...unless the contract is extended," She looked at her Mum who nodded conspiratorially: Jemma had told her of the possible plan for the coming year for her and Leo. Her dad noticed right away.

"Alright, what are you two hiding from me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did you get together? Should I go and give Leo the Talk and all?"

"_Dad_!" Jemma blushed furiously. Her parents were constantly teasing her about her best friend. She should be thankful that they hadn't started commenting about her pretending to be Leo's girlfriend.

"I was joking," her father said with a smile.

Jemma huffed and told him about the plan of staying at MIT for another year, getting a researcher post until they were twenty one. She felt a blush on her face again when she told him about getting a house with Leo.

What was _wrong_ with her?

"Oh well, it seems that I should have a little talk with Leo then..." Her father remarked making Jemma groan in distress.

"Hey, Dr. Simmons!"

All three Simmons turned around and faced the cheeky grin of the youngest Fitz behind his camera.

"You couldn't have been more in sync even doing it on purpose," he remarked, putting the camera on the table and sitting next to Jemma.

She rolled her eyes.

"You've been dying to do that, yeah?" She asked, pushing his plate in front of him. "Here."

"Yeah," he said with a smile. "When would I get the chance to say one name and get three people to turn? Thanks." He poured some water in both their glasses.

They both missed the bemused smiles of her parents.

"You've become awfully..._domestic_," Her mum commented.

"Really?" they asked together, eyes wide and innocent. Both her parents laughed.

"So, Leo," her dad said after a while. "What's this thing about you and my daughter getting a house and living together?"

Leo choked on his food while Jemma buried her face in her hands.

-:-

The dancing had started once the food was cleared off the tables. Some friend of Alec's had started putting the music, serving as an impromptu DJ.

Leo was getting some drinks for him and Jemma. He knew that she had been dying to get to the dance floor: he'd have to relent at some point and give in to dance with her.

He'd been saved by her father now: they were swaying to some slow dance but he could clearly make out Jemma's laugh through the crowd.

It made him smile...

It had been a long time since he felt so...happy.

It was a good day. His sister was brimming with a joy that made his heart swell. His mum was happy too: he had seen her talk with his uncle and aunt. He realised that this was the first time in _years_ that she talked with someone that was family and that weren't her children.

Hell, even his brother seemed to be in a good mood, smiling and chatting with people.

Things were going well...finally.

"Hey, look who we have here!"

And his good mood drained away. Immediately.

He would recognise that voice anywhere...

Leo turned around and met the the haughty gaze of James Cornwell. Behind him was Andrew Finnegan and...Bryce.

Leo felt a wave dread wash his body as old memories of his years at school and the endless taunts came back to his mind.

They hadn't changed much. James and Andrew had gotten taller (they still had a inch or so on him just like Bryce). Andrew was still gangly looking and James was still built like a rugby player.

"Leo," James drawled, approaching him. "How are you, mate?"

The tone was cheery but rather than calming him, it sent a shiver down Leo's spine: it was the voice he used back at school.

He saw that all three were holding glasses filled with an amber liquid. Scotch or whiskey.

"James, Andrew," he said, nodding at them as he filled Jemma's glass with some punch, trying to keep his calm. He had to play it cool. He put the glass on the table and turned to them. "I'm doing well. You?"

James laughed and turned to his friends.

"Well, look at _that_!" He exclaimed, draining his glass and approaching him. Leo could clearly smell scotch from where he was standing. "Little Leo's manned up."

He clapped his hand on Leo's shoulder, fingers purposely digging in the flesh.

Leo clenched his jaw but didn't say a word.

"What?" James hissed. "Just because you're going to some fancy nerd American school, you think you're better than us? You think we've forgotten who you are? You're Leo the little freak..."

It _stung_.

The taunting stung as it had back then.

Leo felt as though he was ten all over again: unable to respond. But it wasn't fear or weakness right now: it was purpose. He didn't know how James would react if he retorted; who knows what he'd do. The last thing he wanted was to cause a scene during Alison's wedding reception.

Leo's eyes went to look over James' shoulder at his brother. Didn't it matter to him? Didn't he care that his friend could mess their sister's day?

"What? You're trying to get your brother to help you out?" Andrew taunted. "Look at that, Bryce." He nodded towards Leo, smirking at his brother. Bryce shrugged, smirking and taking a sip of his drink.

"Oh.. I almost forgot," James mockingly slapped a hand to his head. "Bryce says that you're here with your girlfriend. Now really, Leo? You brought a nerd friend over? Another freak like you? Or did you just pay a random girl?"

Leo felt a flare of anger in his stomach, hot and deep. He clenched his jaw tight.

It was alright if he was taunted but James shouldn't even _think_ of speaking of-

"Leo?"

He whipped around at the sound of her voice. A spark of unease ran down his spine.

Jemma stared at him, eyes taking in his appearance and then sliding to the boys behind him.

She would know: she would surely understand. He had talked to her about his school experiences...

And he had seen how her eyes had flared in anger when he spoke about the bullying.

He approached her.

"Hey, I was getting your drink," he said, smiling in what he hoped was a convincing way.

"What's going on?" She whispered, taking his right wrist in her right hand. No, he didn't convince her. At all.

"Nothing, really..."

"_Leo_..."

"Well, _hello_ there," James remarked, giving Jemma a once over. Leo felt the unease settle in his stomach. He didn't like that look _at all_. "Who are you, darling?"

"Jemma Simmons," Her tone was neutral as her face. Leo couldn't even remember _one_ moment when she talked to someone without a hint of a smile.

James' eyes widened and he turned his head towards Bryce before looking at her again.

"You're..._his_ girlfriend?" The question was incredulous and sarcastic as though he expected Jemma to scoff and laugh along with him at its absurdity.

She didn't...

Jemma's hand slid down from his wrist to his hand, soft nimble fingers entwining with his larger ones tightly.

"Yes," she replied firmly and turned to Leo, smiling, a soft blush colouring her cheeks. "Yes, I am."

Leo felt his heart stutter in his chest.

James gaped at her as did Andrew. Bryce just stared blankly and Leo felt unease wash over him again.

They had to get away from them.

"Fancy a dance?" He asked Jemma, turning to her with a smile.

She blinked at him for a moment before smiling uncertainly. He realised that she was mirroring his own smile.

"Of course," she replied and guided him to the dance floor, hands clasped together.

Leo didn't even bother to look back but he clearly heard James' voice.

"How did that prick of your brother get that fine lass? She's wasted with him."

Leo felt dread lacing with the unease in his stomach now.

-:-

As soon as they're on the dance floor, Jemma guided Leo to the furthest corner so that the refreshment table was out of sight and turned around to put a hand on his shoulder.

He slowly registered that they were standing in front of each other and put his hand on her waist absently. Their other hands were still locked together so she lifted them between their bodies.

She looked at him as they swayed to some slow song, the rush of excitement that she had had while dancing with her father now ebbed to nothing.

His eyes were clouded as they were when they were younger. She pursed her lips as the bit of anger that had fuelled her before slowly turned into concern.

"Leo?" She ventured, hoping that he would talk and not clam up like he used to.

He looked at her, lips in a thin line and eyes a swirl of emotion. Her heart clenched painfully and she tightened the hold of her hands on him, inadvertently stepping closer.

He blinked and smiled slightly.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I just...spaced out." And he looked away.

He was lying and she knew it. _He_ knew that she knew it. She sighed deeply: it was like going back to when they were fifteen again.

But they weren't.

They were almost twenty, had known each other for five years and were best friends. She wasn't going to let it all slide into oblivion even for a moment.

"Liar," she muttered, stepping another few inches closer to him. She could clearly feel the heat radiating from his body and caught a whiff of his cologne, the leathery-spicy scent familiar to her.

She softly squeezed his shoulder to get his attention but when he didn't budge, she moved her hand to his face, put two fingers on the side of his jaw and forced him to turn.

Leo jumped slightly and stared at her.

"Jemma?" His voice barely hid his surprise. "Wha-?"

"What's going on?" She asked softly. "You're cooping everything up again...Talk to me, Leo."

His eyes settled on her, still a bit unclear but not looking at anything but her. She felt his fingertips move on her waist as a sigh escaped his lips.

"Sorry," he apologized again. "It's just... I hate that seeing them, hearing them again makes me feel like I'm back at school. It's like being the _little genius freak _all over again."

Jemma swallowed dryly, feeling the sadness and pain laced behind his even voice. She could easily understand him: her school experience had been pretty much identical though she didn't have to constantly face a threesome of bullies.

Now that she had seen them, she could finally put a face to the hateful names she had heard from him. And the few minutes had also given her a chance to identify their roles.

Andrew was the skinnier one and the sidekick: too weak to do anything on his own. James was the bulky one: he was the perpetrator, physically menacing and aware of that.

And Bryce... Jemma felt a flare of anger towards him. Bryce was the instigator: he was the one that planned the bullying, said the right words and got the others to do the dirty work.

Five years that she had known Leo and she had never had a conversation with Bryce that wasn't for mandatory greetings.

How could he allow his brother to be hurt in this way?

"You should react," she whispered. "Let them know that you're not the little...kid any more."

"No," He shook his head. "It's Ali's wedding: the last thing I want is to cause a scene...or a fight."

"I'm not saying to _fight_ them," she said quickly. The thought of him confronting the other three, especially now that she had seen James, sent a little tingle of fear down her spine.

Leo was strong: she had seen him carry heavy weights easily but he was slight. She could imagine his bones breaking or bruising with harsh impacts and she _really_ didn't want that to happen.

"I-I'm just saying that you can stand up to them now," she said, leaning forward so that her forehead was touching his chin. "You're brilliant, Leo. You're a rocket scientist with a PhD and a technical Masters...all before turning twenty," She looked up and smiled at him. "You're pretty awesome, Dr. Fitz."

He laughed, the sound reverberating from his chest and making her smile.

"Coming from a biochem genius with two PhDs as you are, Dr. Simmons," he teased. "That's quite the compliment."

She laughed and looked up at him. He was looking down at her with soft eyes but there's still a bit cloudiness there.

"What else?" She asked, forcibly turning him around and smiling as his eyes widened.

"I feared that you wanted to twirl me around, Jemma," he said, curling his fingers higher on her waist and changing the grip of their hands so that her fingers were covered by his.

It all felt oddly... comfortable. From his touch to his proximity and even the fact that they're slow dancing.

She felt as ease...and it made her bolder than usual.

"So?" She insisted and he looked at her with a crooked smile.

"It's scary how well you can read me," he commented.

"Well, you seem to figure me out just as easily," She shrugged. "And don't you dare ignore my question again."

He sighed and suddenly dropped his head against hers, foreheads touching. She almost stopped moving, startled by his reaction but his fingertips started to do little circles around her waist and palm so she swayed with him, ignoring the stuttering of her heart.

"Can I ask you a favour?" He asked after a few moments of silence. She glanced at him and saw how his eyes were clear now. And trained on her.

"Of course," she whispered.

"Don't... hang around on your own, alright? Stick with me or your parents. Or my mum. Just not alone."

His tone was carefully levelled but she could sense the urgency in his words.

Leo was worried. For her.

"Why?" She asked, frowning slightly. Why was he worrying over her?

"It's just-" He shook his head and straightened up. "Just indulge me, yeah? Only for today." He cracked a smile as she arched a brow and added. "I might be overreacting right now but... James seemed a little _too _interested in you. And I'm not sure that I like it..."

Jemma blinked. She recalled the older boy's leery tone and look and she pulled up a disgusted face.

"I don't think I'd even want to be in a ten feet radius of him," she said and Leo chuckled.

"I know..." He looked at her again, his smile turning softer. "Just do it, yeah? Please... For my sake."

It was the soft tone that did it to her. Along with his words.

She nodded, not trusting her voice because her heart had started to thump strangely again. She wondered if he realised how he could easily ask her to do anything in that tone and she would accept.

And it scared the hell out of her that he had such power over her.

She shook her head to disperse the sudden thoughts and looked up at him. Without thinking too much, she leaned forward to brush a kiss against his jaw.

"You're a damn worrier," she whispered with a smile.

He blushed slightly but smiled back.

-:-

"I think that they've forgotten that they're _pretending_ to be together," Jeremy Simmons commented, swirling his glass of wine in his hand and looking at his wife. "I wonder if someone shouldn't go and remind them."

Elaine chuckled softly.

"I honestly don't see a reason to do that," she said and looked over at the dance floor where her daughter was currently dancing with her best friend. Her eyes softened as Jemma laughed when Leo twirled her on the spot. "I've never seen Jemma look so happy."

"You've been saying that for the last five years," her husband remarked, taking a sip of wine.

"And I hope to say that for much longer..." She quipped, rolling her eyes. "Please tell me that you're not seriously worrying about them? Or about _him_?" She wondered if her husband was suddenly remembering that their baby girl was _not_ a baby anymore. "Leo's such a wonderful boy."

"I know, he's a fine lad," Jeremy admitted. He looked at Jemma and Leo and smiled. "And he cares for our daughter."

Elaine nodded. The way Leo looked at Jemma sometimes, the utterly tender look in his eyes made her wonder if he had realised just _how_ deep his care went.

And Jemma shared the same sentiments: she had seen the way she looked at him...

"I wonder if they will realise it..." she mused. "Or if they'll just go on pretending to be friends." She laughed as a sudden thought went through her mind. "If Jemma wasn't so horrible at lying, I'd wonder if they're not _really_ pretending to be friends and have been together the whole time."

"Well, in that case, I _will_ have to have a bit of a talk with Leo." Jeremy remarked with a teasing grin. "Genius or not, he's not getting away from me threatening him to not touch my daughter in any inappropriate way. I already feel like a terrible father that I've allowed my nineteen year old daughter to live with a boy for five years; there's no way I'm allowing them to have sex..."

"Sweetheart, you do realise that since we've allowed them to live together -and they're planning to move in a flat together in the future, mind you- and if they're having sex, they're doing it with our blessing, right?"

Jeremy nearly choked on his wine while Elaine laughed.

-:-

Leo was smiling.

Lena Fitz watched her son with soft eyes as he swayed to some jazzy song looking bashful. Jemma grinned at him, gripping his hands and made him move around a bit, causing her boy to laugh.

A smile made its way to her face too.

"Leo looks a lot like Scott," Lena turned as Sean spoke: he was looking at her son as well. He had left his wife and daughter at their table and had moved to sit next to her. "It's a bit shocking really: I feel as though I'm seeing my brother during our teenage years."

Lena smiled.

"He has taken from him the most," she admitted. "Alison's got Scott's will and temper and Bryce his stubbornness and determination but Leo's the one that resembles him most physically and mentally."

Sean glanced at her.

"Must have been hard for you," he said softly. "They constantly remind you of him."

"Scott has never left my mind. It feels like our life together has been a dream sometimes: our children are the only tangible things that keep me sane and show me that it wasn't." She looked at him with a smile.

"I should have come over more often," he said. "Helped you, given you support... Scott would have wanted that. He would have expected that from his older brother."

"You were dealing with your own pain. And you're here now: Alison is very happy."

"She's a wonderful girl. She told to me come not to apologize but to celebrate with the family. She told me to bring her a piece of her father's family to her wedding. I really couldn't deny her that."

Lena smiled, remembering the conversation with her daughter, feeling the wave of pride for her again.

They sat in silence for a while until Sean chuckled softly, making her turn towards him.

"Leo really does look like Scott," he mused with a fond look as he watched Leo and Jemma being approached by Alison and Alec and coaxed into dancing. "The way he looks at that girl..." He glanced at Lena. "Sort of reminds me of when my little brother decided not to move back to Edinburgh with us after Dad was relocated again but decided to stay here."

Lena didn't reply but smiled back. She watched her son and daughter dance as memories came back to her.

They had been twenty at the time.

The Fitzes had moved to her street when the father had been relocated by his business office from Edinburgh temporarily.

She was already working as a seamstress with her mother and she had been immediately attracted to the youngest son, a charming boy with an eager smile.

When his father was transferred back, Scott decided to stay. For her.

She looked at Leo and saw the soft, undiluted love in his eyes as he looked at Jemma.

She had seen the caring English girl look at her son the same way.

They just had to admit it to themselves. Then admitting it to each other would be easy..

Just like it had been for her and Scott.

-:-

It was almost evening when Leo walked to the shed to retrieve a few bottles of Alison's favourite drinks. He had noticed them missing from the refreshment table and from his sister's table.

He told Jemma to wait with her parents while he went to get them and stopped her when she was going to come with him. She had been on her feet nearly all day and, he was no expert, but those heels were probably giving her hell.

She must have understood his concern because she shot him a small look and conceded to wait.

He barely made it to the shed, slowly tugging his tie loose and enjoying the cool air without his suit jacket on when he found himself circled.

He should have known.

It had always been like that back at school.

They always managed to find a way to sneak up on him.

He twisted around as James appeared in front of him and saw Bryce standing behind him and Andrew by the shed's door.

A trickle of unease made its way down his spine.

"Well, well, well," James drawled out. "If it isn't our favourite freak..."

Leo clenched his jaw and stared at him. They had been waiting for him. They must have been looking for the moment to get him on his own.

A tingle ran down his spine again when he realised that they must have kept watching him _and_ Jemma the whole time.

James swaggered forward, suit jacket open and tie loose. He stopped short of Leo and grinned.

"Why all alone?" He asked. "Where's your girlfriend?"

Leo was hit by a reeking stench of alcohol as soon as he opened his mouth and it took all of his willpower not to gag.

James was drunk and that didn't bid well for him. James was usually volatile in his actions: he had always been like that. Leo didn't want to think how unpredictable he could get now that he had alcohol in his body.

"I wouldn't stay away from that pretty face too long," the other boy continued.

Leo had to keep his calm and just let him and the others vent on him without reacting. But James mentioning Jemma made him clench his jaw tight.

"What? She still hasn't figured out what a tosser you are?" Andrew laughed from behind him but Leo didn't turn. He could easily ignore Andrew: the guy provoked but was too coward to do more. It was James and Bryce that worried him.

James waved his hand dismissively at Andrew and put a hand on Leo's shoulder, pulling into some sort of one armed hug. It made him tense.

"How the hell did you get the lass?" He asked, fingers digging into his shoulder. "She's fine as hell."

Leo didn't speak: James' leary tone was grating on his nerves but he didn't react and just stood ramrod straight.

'It's Alison's wedding,' he thought, looking down and tightening his fists.

"He didn't get anything," Bryce remarked suddenly. Leo turned around to see his brother approach them. They were wearing identical charcoal suit, white shirts and blue ties: only the pocket tissue varied (and Jemma still had his). "That girl must be desperate if she likes to be stuck with you."

His tone was icy and it hurt Leo more than he expected.

He wanted to ask why he was doing this but the words didn't come out. He just stared at his brother.

"Ha, thought so..." James taunted. "Too pretty to be shagging a wanker like you." He peered at Leo, lips curling into a smirk. "Did you even shag her, mate? Don't even know if you have that much in you..." He tightened the hold of his arm around Leo's shoulder, hugging him in the way (he assumed) old friends did. Or how fake friends and real bullies did. James smirk curled into something more twisted. "Let me guess, you pay her to do all the work, yeah? You just lay there and watch.. How much by the way? I wouldn't mind getting a round with her. She looked pretty fiery so-"

"_Shut up_," The words were out of Leo's mouth before he realised it. He abruptly shook off James' arm and took a step away, a flare of anger building in his stomach. There was an odd ringing in his ears.

James looked at him for a moment and then smirked again.

Leo almost swore at himself.

He hadn't realised how susceptible he was now. During his school years, the taunts had been daily and he had grown a hard shell of patience and control that tamed his temper. But years later , the shell had grown thin, waned by Jemma's friendship and care.

Jemma had allowed him to lower his guard and be more emotional: she had coaxed him to drop the blank mask he had been wearing for years after his father's death. Like he had coaxed her from putting up the cheery mask constantly.

They had both dropped their masks and opted to be thoroughly honest with each other.

And while this had helped them get closer, it had also lowered his defences. Leo hadn't realised that he almost forgotten what being bullied meant. People at MIT used to ignore him but now they acknowledged him.

The times he had been at home had been relaxed because his brother was never there. He had always made up excuses and went off with his friends when the Simmons invited him and his family for Christmas.

Leo had got used to being happy.

Bryce moved forward before he'd realised it and Leo felt the air knocked out of him when he was roughly pushed against the shed's door.

"_You_ shut up," he hissed. "You don't get to say anything." Leo looked at his brother and saw the veil of anger in his usually icy eyes. "You don't deserve to be happy."

Leo suddenly realised what he had always known in the depths of his mind.

Bryce hated him because of their father's untimely death, yes, and had vented all of his anger on him. Bryce who would instigate his two friends to hurt him in every emotional way.

But Bryce was also irrationally jealous of him

He had brushed it off when Jemma had mentioned it years ago, thinking that his brother was just fuelled by anger and pain.

But, now...

"_You don't deserve to be happy now."_

"Wha-?" Leo's question was cut by another shove.

"Shut up," Bryce hissed again and Leo caught a whiff of alcohol on his breath too. It set off a little warning bell in his head. Bryce was many things but not brash or incautious; if he was drunk, he might be just as volatile as James.

Leo had always known that they'd come to a point where they could openly talk, argue or fight. Whether Bryce wanted it or not, they were brothers and shared a family: a confrontation would come up sooner or later.

But now wasn't the moment.

"It's Alison's wedding," Leo said slowly, looking at Bryce. He didn't elaborate but let his vague words sink in. Bryce stared at him, a flash of emotion went through his eyes before he slammed his open palm against Leo's sternum, making him hit the door again.

Air whooshed out of his lungs at the impact.

"Yeah, funnily enough I know that," Bryce said mirthlessly. "I don't need the intelligent little brother to remind me that. Oh.. Should I start calling you Dr. Fitz now?"

Leo stared at him.

Some of his old neighbours had greeted him at the reception, politely asked about his studies. Alec and Colin had teasingly started to call him Dr. Fitz after a while, making him blush while Jemma had giggled next to him.

He hadn't even noticed Bryce nearby...

"Think you're important now? Do you think people will see you differently? You're nothing. It doesn't matter if you buy Mum some fancy wheelchair or go around and help Alison. They might have forgiven you, you've been able to buy their forgiveness, but I'm not falling for it."

Leo swallowed dryly, feeling a familiar emotion of guilt and pain bubble in him.

"You should lock him up in that shed, Bryce," James said, his voice almost gleeful. "Maybe rough him up a bit. No one would notice him missing."

Bryce glanced at him and shook his head. Leo almost sighed in relief: his brother was clearly smarter than James and wouldn't do something so brash.

"Someone would," Bryce remarked. "I still can't figure out why..."

"His pretend girlfriend?" James' tone made something crawl inside Leo's stomach. "Oh, let her come. I wouldn't mind keeping her busy."

Bryce turned around this time and Leo caught a flash of alarm in his eyes.

"It's my sister wedding," he reminded him. "I don't want problems."

"There won't be. I could talk to her and take her in that shed or behind a tree: she'll have fun. If she's used to him, she'll have a hell of a fine time with me." He laughed. "Hell, she'd have a fine time with Drew if she's used to that prick of your brother. You might have a go with her too, mate."

Andrew laughed dumbly but Leo didn't bother. James' threat towards Jemma echoed in his brain and he was moving before he even realised it.

Slipping past Bryce faster than he had ever expected, Leo rammed into James and Andrew hard with his head and shoulders. They all fell to the ground.

"You fuckin-" James snarled, getting up.

"Don't you dare get close to her," Leo hissed, his ears ringing loudly, as he got up. He would _never_ allow them to touch Jemma...

He wasn't quick enough to dodge and James' fist collided with his face. A flash of pain coursed through him as he tasted the irony tang of blood in his mouth.

Leo wasn't a fighter. He might be strong enough to lift things around the lab but that was it. He had no fighting skills or particular coordination, unlike James who despite his size, moved faster than him. Leo's dizzy mind couldn't keep track of him.

The punch in the gut made him double over but not fall down: Leo felt all air leave his body. He then heard James say something and Leo was suddenly straight on his feet, hands tightly wound behind his back. He turned to see Bryce holding him up.

For the first time in his life, Leo felt pure hatred towards his brother. How could he even allow them to say this?

"Leave her out of this," Leo said, his words slightly slurred out his mouth.

"_Shut_. _Up_," James fist collided with his face again and Leo didn't turn around quick enough. He felt a stinging pain on his cheekbone.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Andrew was still on the ground, staring at them with wide eyes.

In all the years of bullying, things had never escalated to this point...

James looked at him with blazing eyes.

"You little prick," he snarled and punched Leo again, right over his last ribs and groan escaped his lips.

"You should have just kept quiet," Bryce whispered from behind him. "He wouldn't have done anything to her...mostly. She's not even your girlfriend: you're pretending. Whatever the hell do you care?"

He cared because Jemma was his best friend.

He cared because no one knew him as much as she did.

He cared because even if they were pretending... he...

Something snapped inside Leo. He saw red before his eyes because he suddenly understood who was the one to blame here.

He twisted around, taking Bryce by surprise, and literally threw his brother on James. It was simple physics, actually...

The two older boys collided and Leo stumbled slightly, trying to ignore the little flashes of pain coming from his body as he stepped away.

Bloody hell, he felt his ribs on fire...

James fell to the ground and groaned, the alcohol in his system finally kicking in. Bryce stumbled but didn't fall and he turned and hit Leo's shoulder.

The sudden twist made Leo turn around, swinging his fist: he felt it collide with Bryce's jaw. Leo then grabbed his brother's arm and slammed him against the shed's door

Bryce groaned, a wheezy sound came out of his mouth before he gasped in surprise when Leo grabbed his suit's collar.

Leo was breathing harshly, anger and the pain from his bruises, making his heart thump erratically. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts that he couldn't control.

"I'm not pretending," he whispered angrily. "So don't you dare allow them to get to Jemma. _Don't you dare_ get her involved. You hate me. _Me_. Take it out on me. I don't care if it's me..." He breathed unevenly. "Not her."

Bryce stared at him, eyes wide because for the first time in almost eleven years, Leo had reacted. For the first time, Leo had spoken to his brother without restraints.

Leo finally saw his brother for what he was. Manipulative, driven by anger and... jealousy. Jealousy because despite everything he had done to prevent it, Leo had found happiness.

And Jemma was the centre of all of it.

"You're pathetic," Bryce spat out, "You're falling for the only friend you have."

Leo blinked. _What?_

His momentary stupor allowed Bryce to react. He punched him straight on the face, on the same spot where James had and a cry of pain escaped Leo's lips.

He felt hands grab him from behind and he was suddenly too tired and in pain too move.

He was outnumbered.

-:-

After almost thirty minutes, Jemma excused herself and got up, leaving her parents at their table as she walked through the crowd, concern laced through her veins.

Leo was taking too long to grab a few bottles and come back.

She thought about his words and his concern for her. She had promised not to wander on her own...but that didn't mean that she couldn't look for him.

The thought that he could be in trouble sent her walking faster.

"Woah there, little girl, what's the rush?" Jemma jumped as Alec appeared next to her, wearing a grey suit now and holding a glass of sparkling wine. His smile faded as he took in her face. "What's going on?"

Jemma swallowed dryly as he looked at her with a serious look.

"Er-nothing really...I... just-" Jemma stammered slightly. "I was looking for Leo."

"Jemma, what's going on?" Alec's voice changed completely and it made her falter.

"I can't find Leo," she explained. "He went to fetch some drinks from the shed but...he didn't come back yet." She brought her hands to her neck. "I might be overreacting, Alec but... He had a bit of a run off with Bryce and his friends before and-"

"What?" Alec said sharply, making her jump. "Wait a minute..." Alec looked around, scanning the crowd, using his height to help him. His green eyes darkened. "I haven't see Bryce, James and Andrew around..."

Something froze inside Jemma's stomach.

"Come on, I'll help you find him," he said and turned around. Jemma followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at Alison, dressed in an elegant blue dress, while she was speaking with her mother and uncle. "Come on..."

They walked down to the shed quickly. Jemma felt her heart hammering in her chest and she hoped that Leo had just been hindered by some stupid thing like a locked door.

She didn't want to give into the other scenarios that crossed her mind.

But then she saw him when they came closer to the shed. And her heart stopped in her chest.

"Oh, no..." she whimpered.

"Shite," Alec cursed and she saw him change completely. Gone were the easy smile and gentle look: Alec looked dangerously menacing.

She heard Leo cry in pain and all thoughts fled her mind and she started to run.

-:-

Alec ran after Jemma, wondering how the girl was so fast while running with heels on grass.

It had to be the sight of Leo being used as punching bag by James while Bryce held him.

Alec never thought that he'd feel so much anger...

"Stop!" Jemma cried out and her sudden appearance made the boys freeze for a moment. Alec dashed forward and took advantage of James' raised fist to pull him away from Leo and push him against the shed's wooden wall. He saw that Andrew was standing back, looking at the scene with wide eyes.

Bryce had moved away, eyes wide in shock and Leo almost staggered to the ground but swayed at managed to stay on his feet.

He had a split lip and a bruise on his face and by the way he was wincing, he had been hit in other places. God, he never thought that Bryce would do this to him...

Leo stared in front of him, looking bleakly at Alec and then his eyes fell on Jemma as she rushed towards him. Relief flashed in his eyes before being replaced by something else.

Bryce's eyes fell on Jemma as did James' and Leo noticed it. Alec watched in stunned surprise as the younger boy grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her behind him, shielding her from view using his slight frame and nearly growled at the older boys.

He looked at Jemma and saw that she was just as surprised as he was. She was looking at Leo from behind, hands locked together, and seemed to be whispering to him but he wasn't listening.

As a matter of fact, it seemed that Leo wasn't hearing anything. His eyes were fixed on Bryce and there was a hardened, almost crazed look to them.

And Leo was trembling, literally shaking in rage.

This was bad... He had never seen him react like this: Alec wasn't even sure what he would do.

"Leo," he said loudly. "It's alright."

The boy turned to him, eyes still swirling with emotions. Then without any warning, he disentangled his hand from Jemma's and ran into the house.

Jemma stood still in astonishment for a few moments before following him.

Alec balled his fists tighter and then turned to look at the other three. None of them were nursing bruises like Leo did. They had attacked him...

It sent a flare of anger down his spine.

"Leave," he growled out, flooring James and Andrew with a dark look. "Now before I call the police."

Andrew was ready to dart out of the way but James, cocky as always, looked at Bryce with a smirk as though expecting him to say something.

Bryce looked up and opened his mouth but then shut it immediately. Alec was glad that his brother-in-law hadn't spoken: things were pretty ugly as they were.

James stared at him, eyes hardened. Alec's patience wasn't enough to deal with him now.

"I said: leave _now_," He walked until he was a step away from James. "Don't ever get close to this house or this family. _Ever_. And I don't care if he-" He pointed to Bryce. "-tells you anything or allows you here, I will kick you out."

James glared at Alec but walked towards the gate, stepping close to Bryce who didn't look at him. A heavy silence fell between them.

Alec ran a hand in his hair, anger and disbelief intermingling together.

"_What the bloody hell, Bryce_?" He exploded all together. "What possessed you to go and attack your brother with those two pricks you call friends?"

"You don't know anyth-" Bryce retorted, anger actually lacing his words but it just fuelled Alec's own fury.

"No, I don't," he said. "I don't know a goddamn thing about how you feel or what's been going on in your for the last ten years but... there's a line. I overlooked the fact that you spent your school years isolating and victimising Leo: I didn't even tell Alison! I didn't interfere when you clearly ignored him in your own house. But _attacking_ him? Beating him up in three?" Alec approached the younger boy, eyes hard. "And judging by Leo's reaction... you must have also threatened Jemma."

Bryce looked at him, eyes widening and then he went back to his guarded self again. Anger flared in Alec again.

"Christ, Bryce... You really did that? You went and threatened that girl to spite Leo?"

The boy didn't answer but looked away, shoulders tense and mouth a thin line.

Alec heaved a sigh: he had to go back to the reception. Alison would start to wonder where he'd gone...

"I can't... make you leave from here," Alec said coldly, making Bryce look up at him. "You're Alison's brother and she'd be...destroyed if I told what happened here. I don't want to even think of how your mother would take it... But I won't stay on the lines and let you do what you want, Bryce. I tolerated your actions before because I thought that you were in pain or suffering somehow... And that it would pass at some point.

But this... This is way worse. I can't even think of how you were able to hurt your own brother but you did it. In every possible way. And I swear, I'm having trouble even looking at you now.

But...I married your sister. And we're family now. And that's the only reason that keeping me from kicking you out. But, Bryce, what you did...that's just wrong. And really, you don't even know what being an older brother is."

Alec stared at his brother-in-law, expecting a reaction of any sort but Bryce didn't move. Gritting his teeth, he turned around and left for the reception, hoping that Jemma could calm Leo and help him.

And then, they'd have to come up with something to explain his bruises.

He walked away and didn't see Bryce sit down on the porch's steps, hands in his hair.

-:-

Leo had never felt so much anger.

Raw emotion was strangling his throat and making his vision blurry and red.

He had been on the verge of wanting to hit Bryce. And James. Hard.

But when he turned and saw Jemma behind him, he had to leave. She looked so concerned and her eyes were filled with panic. He caught very little of what she was telling him; scattered words like 'Leo', 'calm down' and 'alright'.

She was worried for him.

And he was worried for her.

_Their_ words still lingered in his head and made his blood boil.

He ran upstairs and yanked his room's door open, getting inside with quick strides and ran his hands through his hair.

He had to calm down. He _needed_ to calm down.

It was Alison's bloody wedding!

But the anger was not subsiding: it seemed to get stronger and harsher as his bruises stung and his mind replayed the whole fight.

Bryce.

It had been him the whole time.

Some part of him had hoped that his brother was just a part of the bullying and taunting and not the main instigator. He wanted to hope that he had been drawn into James' cruel antics.

It had always been the other way around.

Bryce was way too smart to be commanded by James...so he made him think that he was in charge while subtly ordering him around.

Leo thought about the ways his brother had been looking at him and Jemma in these days; he had noticed the odd looks and stares.

How long had he been planning to threaten her to get to him?

Did he hate Leo to _that_ point, to the point of actually hurting her?

The answer was quite simple now: yes.

Leo felt the urge to scream.

He _had_ to calm down.

He was breathing heavily, slow puffs of air coming out of his mouth as he leaned against the wall, shoulders sagging slightly as he forced himself to relax. His hands were trembling, fingers fidgeting and flexing.

It felt like he was a child again; when he would lock himself in his room to swallow his pain and sadness.

He looked around the room, sight becoming clearer. He looked at Jemma's things, neatly arranged on her bed and bedside table. He looked at his things: books arranged in order on the shelves along with stray bolts, nuts and little devices.

And then his stare fell to a lower shelf where he had left his childhood toys.

His eyes fell on two toy trucks and lingered on the firemen's one.

Anger flared in Leo all over again.

He had taken that toy from Bryce as a child and had fixed it, hoping that they'd play together. He had kept it in memory of old times...

He had hoped that his brother cared somewhere in his heart...

Hoped for years despite everything… at the end.

He had been wrong.

Leo walked forward and took the truck. It used to seem enormous when he was a child but now he easily held it in one hand.

He remembered his pride at having fixed it. His dad's proud smile and his brother's jealous look.

Leo gritted his teeth, fingers clenching painfully around the plastic body and threw the toy against the wall.

Anger took over after that...

-:-

Jemma was halfway up the stairs when she heard a shattering noise. She almost jumped, heart thumping in her chest.

Leo had to be in his room. He had mentioned that he would always go there in the past when he needed time alone.

She was still trying to get her mind wrap around all that had happened. Seeing him hurt, punched by his brother and friends had sent a series of pangs through her heart and brain.

She heard the noise of things falling to the ground -_thrown_ to the ground- as she came to his door. Steeling herself, she pushed the door open.

The room was a mess.

Books were strewn on the floor, the contents of the shelves scattered around and she saw some red plastic pieces all over the room.

But all of this registered in her head but didn't concern her as much as the boy currently thrashing around the room. Leo's hands slammed hard against the wooden shelves, hard enough to break skin and bruise.

She was thrown back to when they were fifteen, when he had disappeared one Sunday and had came back late in the evening, weary, tired and hands laced with miniature cuts and bruises.

It had been his father's death anniversary, he later confessed her, and Leo had averted his gaze when he said that he had lost it and had to vent out his feelings.

He was not shouting or crying. He just hit the shelves and walls, attacking whatever obstacle he found.

Jemma felt her heart leap in her throat when he slammed a fist against the wall.

He was going to hurt himself.

"Leo!" She darted forward, sidestepping a few books and reached for him but Leo moved away. He didn't seem to see or hear her. He hit another shelf and she saw a line of red appear on the fair skin of his hand.

"Leo, stop!" Her hands reached for his shoulders, trying to placate his jerky and sudden movements. He turned and twisted, making her hands slip away.

When she finally got a look at his face, her heart dropped down to her feet. His eyes were clouded and he was biting his lip hard, bruising it more, as soft grunts escaped his throat.

He was unleashing and restraining himself altogether.

She almost cried out when he turned around, swinging his arm and hit the corner of his desk with a hard, dull thunk. The flash of pain in his eyes and face showed that he registered the impact but he kept moving on, ignoring it.

Leo was disregarding his own safety.

Jemma was physically smaller and lighter and her strength was laughable compared to his but that didn't mean that she wouldn't do anything to stop him now.

Her hands moved again, frantically grabbing his arms and shoulders and she pushed herself forward, using her body as an anchor.

"Leo," she said, swaying around as she attempted to stop him.. "No,no,no,_no_... _stop_. You're hurting yourself!" She managed to keep her hold on his shoulders steady as she pushed him against the wall.

He went still, completely unmoving after the frantic turns and this allowed her to press her body against his, arms circling tightly around his shoulders and waist. She had her eyes trained on him.

He was heaving and she could almost feel his heart beat erratically from his chest. His wasn't looking at her: his gaze was lost in empty space, arms hanging by his sides.

They stayed in silence for a few moments. When his breathing had returned to normal, Jemma dared to speak.

"Leo?" She whispered, her voice almost loud in the quiet room. He looked at her, eyes still clouded with emotions and Jemma felt a lump in her throat again. "Talk to me. Don't shut me out..." Her voice wavered slightly. "Please..."

He blinked at her as though he was finally seeing her and slowly, with the utmost care and gentleness, he wrapped his arms around her.

Jemma felt a rush of warmth as she fitted against him, face buried against the crook of his neck thanks to her additional height. Warmth that turned to something softer when she felt Leo's head drop on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her ear.

She shook her head, brushing against his jaw with her nose. There was nothing that he had to apologize for: she should actually. If she had moved before to look for him, if she had gone with him... There were so many ifs that went through her mind as she thought of how she could have prevented him from getting hurt.

She slowly moved a hand up to his face and her fingertips traced the bruise on his cheek and she winced when he flinched.

"We should put some ice on that," she said and her eyes flitted to the cut on his lip. "And check that too."

Her eyes travelled up to meet his. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Leo stared at her for a moment and she saw some emotion flash through his eyes but she wasn't quick enough to identify it. He shook his head and she felt a little sting of disappointment that he hadn't confided in her.

As though reading her mind, Leo moved one hand to brush her face, fingertips grazing her cheek.

"Maybe...later?" He said softly. Jemma nodded numbly, her heart suddenly flipping in her chest for the look he was giving her.

He quirked a smile, flinching as the cut on his lip hurt him.

"We should go back," he said. "Our parents will wonder where we've gone."

"Leo, I should check your-"

"First, I'll clean up this mess," Leo interrupted her and gently disentangled himself from her. "I'm fine, Jemma." He gestured to his face. "These can wait another few minutes."

She frowned, noticing the rigid way he held himself and the winces that marred his face but she didn't say anything. Leo could be incredibly stubborn when he wanted to...

She let go of him and stepped back before looking around the room.

"I'll help you," she said, taking in the strewn books, papers and objects. She noticed that her things had escaped the rampage and she wondered if Leo had had that much of a clear head to avoid touching her belongings.

It would be something that he'd do...

They quickly put everything back to its place: books on shelves, papers and notes on his desk and the material that Leo used to make or repair devices was put in order in the empty places they could find.

The red plastic pieces that littered the floor belonged to an old toy truck: Jemma saw the twisted carcass next to Leo's bed. Unsure of the reason that had made Leo vent his rage on the toy -though she did have a few ideas- Jemma didn't touch it and let Leo dispose of it.

She noticed that he shoved it under his bed with his foot, pushing all the pieces scattered around the room along with it.

Once his bedroom looked normal, they walked downstairs and into the kitchen.

Jemma reached for a tea towel and handed it to Leo.

"Get some ice," she ordered. "And put it on your cheek: it should reduce the swelling." She inwardly winced at the reddish stain under his eye.

Leo nodded, almost rolling his eyes at her concern but did as he was told.

"Don't worry so much," he told her, getting ice cubes from the fridge. "It just looks worse than it seems."

Jemma bit her tongue from answering.

He was being ridiculous.

He had a clear bruise on his cheek and a cut on his lower lip. Who knew if those three had hit him elsewhere but they must have, because he was rigid as he walked. And she didn't know how he had damaged his hand with slamming and punching in his room.

The easy dismissal of his bruises was careless and she had no clue why he was behaving like that. As he held the tea towel filled with ice on his cheek, she wondered if he was just acting tough to make her worry less.

It was not working.

Jemma took the first aid kit from the cabinet in the kitchen, grateful that she had seen it before. Thankfully, no one was inside the house: everyone was out at the reception and this gave her time to patch Leo up.

Now that they were here, standing apart, her mind replayed the previous events and caught details that she didn't see immediately.

Leo was...well, rather punched up and she had see the other three hovering over him. But she realised now, they had looked a bit harried too: Leo must have reacted.

She couldn't imagine what was the reason that made Leo, gentle and non violent Leo, punch Bryce and his friends.

Jemma couldn't shake off the thought that she could be the reason or part of it.

It would explain Leo's sudden protectiveness when she and Alec had found him. He had taken her arm and pushed her behind him immediately, almost daring anyone to move past him.

He looked ready to attack anyone who dared to touch her. His raw protectiveness had stirred something in her stomach: a warm flutter that had lingered despite the terror of seeing him hurt.

She saw Leo pace around the room, looking worried and thoughtful. She knew that face: he was concocting some idea.

Knowing him, he was probably thinking of a way to explain his bruises without putting his brother in it. Leo would never want his sister and mother to know about the fight.

"Sit down," she ordered as she saw that he was trying to get out of the kitchen and into the living room. She couldn't follow him around: he needed to stay put while she tended his bruises.

With a huff, Leo did as he was told, grabbing a chair from the kitchen table, and she didn't miss the wince that crossed his face.

"Where else?" She asked, getting closer.

"What?" He said in confusion.

"Where else did they hit you? You're in pain..."

Leo looked away. She knew him well enough to know what he was going to do: make up some excuse, tell her it was nothing and possibly leave the room.

Jemma wouldn't allow him that.

Before thinking about it too much, she grabbed the med kit and sat across his lap, legs dangling on his left side.

"Jem-?" His eyes widened.

"Hush," she replied, taking his improvised ice pack from his hand and putting it on the table next to the med kit. She noticed that his bruise was reddish now and had stopped swelling. She carefully touched the bruise with her fingertips, inspecting his cheek and was glad to see he didn't have any fractures. She moved, gown fluttering slightly, and reached for a cotton swab and the antiseptic from the table, ready to treat his lip. Jemma was grateful that her dress was long enough not to cause her (or him) any embarrassing discomfort.

She started to clean the little cut on his lip; gladly he wouldn't need stitches. She saw him flinch more than once and she murmured apologies.

"It doesn't matter," he whispered with a crooked smile. "You're fixing me up. I should be grateful..."

She shook her head, ignoring the little flutter in her stomach as he smiled and his eyes looked at her softly. From such a short distance, it affected her in a completely different way...

Jemma swallowed dryly and slowly applied the disinfectant on his wound. She could feel his eyes trained on her.

"What are we going to say about this?" She asked, trying to avert his attention to anything that wasn't her. "We'll have to come up with something..."

"_We_?" He repeated, arching a brow and smiling slightly with half of his mouth. Jemma stared at him and quirked a brow up.

"We," she confirmed, sitting up a little straighter. Was it normal that she found sitting in his lap oddly comfortable?

She didn't want to linger too much on that thought...

"Hmm... Given the fact that the bruises are all on your left side, we could say that I tripped and caught you on the face with my elbow or so..."

Leo stared at her.

"Why are you trying to take the blame for this?" He asked, sitting up straighter and forcing her to put a hand on his shoulder for balance.

Jemma put away the cotton swab and bit her lip.

"I could have gone with you or went to find you earlier.." she whispered. "I could have called Alec...or..."

"Hey," Leo moved forward, flinching slightly but ignoring the pain. He brushed his fingertips on her cheek. "It's not your fault, alright? They were drunk and waiting for me. If you had come along-" Leo's fingers stilled on her jaw as he stopped talking, eyes clouding again and Jemma instinctively reached for his hand. He looked at her, blue eyes soft but firm.

"I'd have never let them hurt you, Jemma."

Jemma stared at him, heart thumping in her chest as his words washed over her.

It must have been these three days together pretending to be a couple and being together even more than usual. Otherwise, she couldn't explain why his words affected her so much. Why his eyes were suddenly so attention seeking and his smile took her breath away.

This was... Leo. Her best friend. Leo.

Exactly. _Leo_.

She didn't think, her mind was suddenly silent. She moved forward and brushed a kiss to his uninjured cheek, soft and feather like. She felt Leo tense slightly.

"Jemma?" He whispered.

She felt a blush invade her face as she pulled back slightly and looked at him. His blue eyes were fixed on her, wide and surprised. A blush was colouring his face too.

He was terribly close...

There was a part of her that wanted to pull away, stand up and pretend that nothing had happened.

The other part however...

-:-

Leo felt his heartbeat speed up as Jemma smiled at him. Her eyes held a soft look as one of her hands laid on his shirt while the other was still resting on his shoulder.

He couldn't take his eyes off her from this close distance.

The little jolts of pain coming from his face and lower ribs were dulled just by looking at her.

His mind wandered to thoughts that he never allowed himself to linger on: but as she sat there on his lap, amber eyes bright and fixed on him and a soft smile on her face, he was flooded by many emotions.

He knew that she was pretty: he had known for a while now. Just as he knew that she was downright beautiful in that cream coloured dress.

She was always beautiful.

It wasn't the dress... It was her: the way her eyes would light up when she talked or laughed, the way her smile could brighten a room...

Boys at MIT had noticed. Colin had noticed. James had too.

He felt an angry flare through his veins again when he thought of him.

"Hey..." Jemma moved her hand from his shoulder to his uninjured cheek. Whatever hateful feeling he had had, evaporated as she looked at him with those soft honey coloured eyes.

Her hand was warm against his face: he leaned into her touch without realising it and sighed contently, smiling at her.

Leo felt her fingertips move up on his chest and around his face before she moved forward.

Seconds later, Jemma's lips were on his, slanted crookedly so that the left corner of his mouth was not touched.

Leo realised that he wouldn't have bothered to care if she touched his cut. He honestly didn't care about anything.

Not now that Jemma was kissing him.

He vaguely wondered why he wasn't surprised or shocked. Leo felt Jemma's lips warm and soft against his and just accepted it, enjoying the feeling and the warmth spreading inside him.

It occurred to him that he should respond too; so he carefully moved his lips against hers, a soft exchange between closed mouths. He slowly moved one hand against her neck, fingers brushing the soft skin of her throat before stopping at her nape, tangling into her hair.

Leo watched Jemma for a moment as he kissed her: he saw how her eyes flutter shut when he responded. Then he closed his eyes too.

It felt like that kiss they shared during last year's Spring Break but it was longer, little exchanges of breath passing between them as they moved closer to each other. Jemma's fingers curled into his shirt while Leo's hand brought her head closer to him.

And it felt warmer.

Leo felt a little bit braver than he did back then. His tongue peeked out of his mouth and slowly caressed her lower lip.

He heard Jemma's little intake of breath and then she parted her lips.

And then they heard a thud coming from outside and they pulled away from each other.

Jemma scrambled out of his lap and he jumped up, flinching for his aching ribs. They both turned to the window as one.

Bryce had been standing there: Leo had been able to make eye contact before his brother hastily left.

How long had he been standing outside the window? What had he been doing there?

He turned around to find Jemma do the same and look at him. She blushed furiously and looked at the ground.

Leo felt his face burn too.

What had just happened?

_Jemma_ had kissed him.

Jemma, his best friend, had kissed him.

They stayed in silence for a while until Leo spoke up.

"Did you...-er...do.. _that_ because you saw him...?" He stammered.

Only Ali, Alec, his mum and her parents knew that they were faking to be a couple. Jemma didn't know that Bryce knew as well...

She might have thought that kissing him might have helped him...somehow. Maybe show his brother that the fight hadn't made him lose Jemma's affection

But then Leo remembered what he had said during the fight with his brother.

That he was not pretending to be with Jemma...

The blush on his cheeks burned more as he realised that it was _true_.

And he didn't know what to think about it.

-:-

Jemma moved her hands to her cheeks, attempting to cool them down.

Leo's question played in her head but she didn't know how to reply.

She didn't even know what possessed her to kiss him.

She didn't know _why_ she did it.

She just did.

And it had been wonderful...

But now that the hazy moment was gone and her mind was clear, Jemma realised the enormity of what she had done.

She had kissed her best friend. And he had responded.

But that didn't mean something, did it? As much as she knew Leo, he was still male. Having a girl -even his _best friend_- kiss him, had to make him react somehow.

She licked her suddenly dry lips and dispersed sudden thoughts of Leo's lips on her.

Jemma swallowed dryly. She had to focus.

Leo had asked her if she kissed him because she saw Bryce.

She hadn't.

But...Leo didn't know, did he?

She felt terrible to even think about it but she could use that as an excuse. It would fortify their fake-couple act even if it meant lying to Leo.

She didn't have alcohol to blame this time...

She looked at him.

"I saw a shadow..." she said. "Sorry- I-"

He stared at her. He knew her well enough to know when she lied.

And she was a _horrible_ liar.

But to her great surprise, Leo didn't frown or ask her why she was lying. He just nodded, smiling slightly.

He knew that she was lying and yet he accepted her excuse. Jemma suddenly didn't know whether to be relieved or concerned.

"We should go," Leo said, turning around to look out the window again and then back at her. He scratched the back of his head, clearly nervous.

"Yeah," she replied, hastily putting away the med kit. Her heart was still beating fast. If Leo was going to pretend that everything was fine, then she would too.

She didn't know why he wasn't ratting her out for her blatant lie...but she could play along.

Especially since she couldn't come with a solid reason to justify her kissing him.

Jemma took a few deep breaths and turned to him with a smile. Leo looked at her oddly for a moment, eyes soft and...full of some emotion that she couldn't identify.

But then he smiled back and waited for her before leaving the house.

It was Alec that came up with the perfect explanation to Leo's bruises.

There was an old wooden beam in the shed -residue of some old house maintenance- and it had always been standing next to the door rather precariously.

When Leo had gone to fetch the drinks, the door must have sent enough vibrations to move the beam that slipped and hit Leo.

Thankfully, the bruise was small and didn't hurt him too much. Alec explained how Jemma had come over to him when she noticed Leo's delay and they both found the boy sitting by the house, feeling a little dizzy.

Jemma and Leo had to put up their most honest face, nodding along with Alec's explanation (they actually explained how the beam had fallen in scientific terms at some point).

Her parents looked a bit sceptical and Jemma couldn't really blame them: they were doctors and were probably scanning Leo with their eyes to understand what had happened.

Leo's mum and Alison had looked deeply worried but Alec and Leo had waved off their concern with a smiling face.

"I'm just clumsy," he said, looking bashful. "I should have moved out of the way...and I knew that that beam was in there for _ages_."

He looked sincere and they smiled slightly. Bryce had been standing nearby and Jemma felt a venomous feeling towards him.

How could he do that to his brother?

She looked at Leo and noticed, for the first time since she'd known him, that his eyes had hardened at the sight of his brother.

Whatever had started the fight, had also broken what little trust Leo had in him.

Jemma was standing by Leo's side and she brushed her hand against him, ignoring the tingling it sent down her spine or the twist it caused her heart.

Leo was her best friend.

She would always be there for him. Her confused...thoughts be damned.

So when Leo looked at her, blushing slightly and smiling uncertainly, Jemma smiled back.

They reached her house later that night: her parents taking turns to drive while she and Leo had dozed off in the back seat.

They had opted to spend the night at her home when they realised that the only flight that would take them back to Boston at a decent time would be the one leaving from Liverpool on Monday morning.

Her parents had consented to have Leo for the night (he honestly didn't even need to ask but he still did, much to her mum and dad's amusement) and to drive them to the airport.

During the drive, when they were almost to Sheffield, her mum looked at her.

"What really happened today, Jemma?" She asked softly.

Jemma stammered for a moment but her parents' eyes were fixed on her and she noticed how their gaze shifted to the sleeping boy next to her. She realised that they cared for Leo a lot too.

With a soft voice, she explained what she knew about the fight, begging her parents not to say a word to Lena or Alison.

The rest of the trip was silent. Jemma wondered if her parents were thinking about Bryce and his unpunished actions and Leo's deep care for his sister and her happiness.

Because that was what Jemma was thinking of as she ran her fingertips along Leo's arm.

They were almost home when Jemma got closer to her father after a sudden thought crossed her mind.

"Dad," she said, making him look at the rear view mirror. "Would you mind taking a look at Leo once we're home? I think he got hit on the ribs too...and I couldn't check them."

She couldn't really bring herself to do it. Not today. The thought of seeing Leo's body sent a flare in her stomach.

She wasn't really herself today...otherwise she wouldn't have kissed him

"Of course," her dad replied with a small smile. She smiled back and turned to wake up Leo when she saw their three-story house.

Later that night, after they had showered and her father had checked Leo's bruises (thankfully, his ribs and hands were not fractured but just bruised), Jemma made their beds in her room.

Her room was on the third floor next to the attic and the room that had once been her play room.

She used to have her room next to her parents on the second floor but she had asked to take the smaller but somehow more comfortable room on the third floor when she was eleven. Her parents had agreed, inclined to grant her a bit of independence and changed her old room into a guest room.

She smiled when she thought about the first time Leo came to her house and had been terribly embarrassed of sleeping in her room, He had mumbled about 'girl's rooms' and 'property' and 'your Dad will murder me' much to her amusement.

She looked at the two twin beds, close enough to seem as one, that had been in her room since they had met: she wouldn't have it any other way.

Leo came inside, closing the door behind him. He had been silent ever since they had come back, smiling and talking only when he needed to. Jemma realised that he needed some time to think and get over everything that had happened today.

She wondered if he mulled over their kiss as she did... before disposing quickly of the thought, relegating it to some corner of her head.

They were soon both in bed as light filtered through the curtains. She felt Leo's sheets rustle and turned around.

Leo was looking at her, propped on an elbow and she turned on a side too.

"Your dad gave me some painkillers and a lenitive balm," he said, smiling slightly. "He said that will help soothe the pain of the ribs."

She smiled slightly.

"I asked him to check you," she explained. "You were wincing too much for my tastes."

"I know...Thank you..." He stayed silent for a moment, staring at her, blue eyes clear as glass. Jemma felt a blush invade her face.

"What?" She asked, voice almost a squeak.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he replied, blushing and smiling bashfully. Jemma felt her face burn more. "Don't know who'd take care of me..."

"Well... I wouldn't know..." she commented, clearing her voice and putting some tease in it to overcome the sudden awkwardness that she felt. "If I weren't there, you'd have probably survived on pancakes until now."

Leo laughed and then flinched, hand on his stomach.

"Christ, don't make me laugh..." he said, a small pained grin on his face. Jemma looked at him in concern.

"Why did they do this?" She asked, looking at him. Leo sighed and flipped on his back again and she stayed quiet as she saw him fidget with his sheets with his fingers.

"They did this because my brother hates me," he said softly.

Jemma felt her heart break a little at his sad and bitter tone. She moved forward until their arms and shoulder were almost touching; without thinking further, she laced her fingers through his.

"He doesn't deserve you, Leo," she whispered.

He turned to look at her, eyes oddly bright and smiled slightly. Jemma's heart flipped oddly but she ignored it.

Her emotions were a bit in shambles.

Everything would settle and be normal once they were back to MIT.

Everything would go back to normal...

..right?

-:-

The flight back to Boston was uneventful.

He and Jemma spent their time reading or sleeping, both fully conscious that they had a busy week ahead between his project and her dissertation.

Leo found himself eager to go back to his usual routines at MIT and TechData and living with Jemma. These three days at home had been hectic in more ways that he had imagined.

As he looked at Jemma sleeping, he wondered about their kiss and the words that his brother had said.

"_You're falling for the only friend you have."_

Leo swallowed dryly and looked at the bunch of noted he had been reading.

That couldn't be true...right?

It was only their charade. His emotions and feelings were just a bit confused because of that.

Once they got back to their usual life, he and Jemma would be fine.

And his thoughts about her wouldn't be so confused.

* * *

Please, leave a review... :)


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